Grati-Wednesday 22nd July 2026

 

Happy Wednesday Friends!

A wonderful collection of gratitude letters. 

Grab a nice warm cuppa or cold drink (depending on where you live!), sit back and relax while you soak up some well-deserved gratitude!

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Dear Aussie Quilt Heroes,

Picture attached! 

I just wanted to personally say thank you for the beautiful quilt and laundry bag provided.

For many of us normal mail was disrupted and we were unable to receive parcels or letters from home. Because of that, the items from Aussie Quilt Heroes became even more special. For some of us, they were the only mail we were able to receive while deployed.

Being far from home can be difficult, and receiving something handmade, thoughtful and uniquely Australian was a real morale boost. It reminded us that people back home are thinking of deployed members and supporting us from afar.

The time, care and effort that goes into every quilt and laundry bag is clear. Please know that your kindness is genuinely appreciated and has made a real difference over here.

Thank you again for your generosity and for everything you do for the ADF. 

Kind regards,

LB on left by Ruth S, right by Clarissa L

Dear Clarissa L,

Thank you so much for sewing my laundry bag – it has been such a helpful and practical item while living in a communal environment!. The colours are so lovely and bright!

It was the only mail I was able to receive while on deployment, so it was especially nice to receive a little gift from home. I thought you might enjoy hearing that it made it to me despite everything going on 

My little family is made up of my partner and our two dogs. I miss them very much and can't wait to get home for cuddles and long walks. Although, after the heat over here, it's going to be a bit of a shock returning to a Canberra winter.

We're lucky enough to be close to the beach here, so I enjoy going snorkelling after work or on weekends. You've got to find an outlet to relax from time to time. The ocean has some amazing sea life and I especially love spotting the blue-spotted stingrays.

When I get home, I plan to spend lots of time at my family's farm. I can't wait to go fishing in the creek, look for platypuses, help muster the cattle, and feel grass under my feet again instead of sand!

Thank you again for the laundry bag. I'm so grateful for the time and care you put into making it. It has been a wonderful reminder that people back home are thinking of us, and I truly appreciate your kindness  

Kind regards,

From the same recipient who also received a quilt....

Dear Anne H,

Thank you for your letter and for picking up the bid for my quilt! I am very grateful for it - I love the colours and the cute chickens.

The level of detail required to make a quilt is very impressive. If you hadn't pointed out the little things, I never would have noticed, haha! But I think they make it even more special. 

We haven't been able to receive much mail. The quilt and laundry bag were some of the only items that made it through to me. It was so nice to receive such a thoughtful gift while I was away.

I've been able to do a small amount of travel here. I've especially enjoyed spending time along the coast, snorkelling and exploring the ocean. I love marine life. I saw the biggest turtle I've ever seen in the ocean -  it must have weighed over 200 kg! I also love spotting the blue-spotted stingrays; they're so beautiful.

Thank you again for your kindness and generosity. I truly appreciate the time and care you put into making the quilt. It will always remind me to be generous just like you 

Kind regards,

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Dear Beverley F,

Firstly, thank you so much for taking the time to write such a beautiful letter. I am the very lucky Australian service member who received the laundry bag that you so thoughtfully made. I honestly can’t thank you enough. The pattern is absolutely beautiful, and it’s clear how much care and love went into making it. It’s incredibly useful out here, but more than that, it reminds me that there are kind people back home thinking of us. That means more than I can put into words.

I was delighted to read about your life. You have lived such a full and meaningful one, and I genuinely enjoyed every part of your letter. 

Thank you once again, Beverley, not only for the beautiful laundry bag but also for sharing your story with me. It reminded me that behind every act of kindness is a lifetime of experiences, love and sacrifice. People like yourself make serving overseas just that little bit easier because you remind us that we’re never forgotten.

I truly hope you continue enjoying your sewing, your bowls, your travels whenever you can, and, most importantly, the precious time with your family. Your letter has become one of the highlights of my deployment, and it’s something I’ll always remember.

Thank you again for your kindness, generosity and support. It has meant far more to me than you could ever know.

Warmest regards,

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Hi Jan-Maree (and Denise L),

I received a laundry bag from Denise L.

While I have received a quilt and laundry bag before, I have been deployed twice to the Middle East and once for COVID-Assist, this is the first time I have my own little 1 year old at home and miss him so much. Therefore, your bags were a wonderful surprise. It was a reminder of home, brought back lots of fond memories to chat about, and the smiles on everyone’s faces including mine looking through and laughing about all the colourful and fun patterns.

Thank you so much for making a laundry bag for us! I can sew a little, but at the moment that only consists of closing the pockets on my 1 year olds pants. It has significantly reduced the amount of sand that gets brought home. I don’t think I would be able to do what you do. I really appreciate your effort, time and work to make it.

Thank you again for the laundry bags,

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Dear Philomena H,

 

Thank you very much for the laundry bag and for taking the time to write such a personal letter.

 

I really enjoyed reading about your life and travels, and it was clear how much care and effort went into making the bag.

Knowing it was handmade by someone who genuinely supports Australian service members makes it far more special than just a useful piece of kit.

Your kindness and generosity are greatly appreciated. People often think of service as something done only by those in uniform, but support from people like you is an important part of what keeps us going.

Thank you again for your gift, your support, and for sharing a little of your story. I'll put the laundry bag to good use.

 

Wishing you and your family all the very best.

Kind regards,

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Dear Rachel B,

 

I am currently deployed on operations in the Middle East and our detachment has received a shipment of laundry bags from Aussie Hero Quilts.

 

There was quite the frantic scrabble as bags were grabbed left and right. I managed to get hold of your Betty Boop design and there is no doubt I'll be able spot it from across the hangar. 

 

As a former upholsterer I have a lot of respect for household sewing skills (something I cannot do), so thank you for effort and craftsmanship. Things can be a bit bland here so a spot of colour is quite nice. 

 

Regards,

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Good afternoon Jacqui D,

I was lucky enough to receive one of your quilts last year while I was deployed in the Middle East.

Firstly, sorry for such a late reply! work tempo has been quite hectic with everything going on. But, I have been enjoying the quilt you made very much and thinking about how overdue this email is!

Secondly, I absolutely loved the attention and care you put into the quilt. It means so much to me that you took all of the time and effort to do something for a stranger in the ADF. 

I think it is so cool you have such a rich family history of service within Defence across three generations. Thank you for all of the support, it was a really nice gift to open while doing some pretty stressful work over there.

Thanks again,

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Hello Karen R,

Thank you so much for the quilt, it is really great, made my day when it arrived, I even thought it would be great to use when I go to sea next, sometime in the distant future :)

Thank you,

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This lovely quilt was a collaboration between Steph F, Julie K, and Karen R. Embroideries by Joan and Alan. Quilted by Philomena. The recipient was a very committed volunteer for Operation Veteran Assist and her quilt was presented at the Hawthorn RSL recently and it was very well received.

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Dear Ellen N,

I have to say, I am the lucky one to have you selected to make my quilt. I was very emotional when I received it and more so cried when I saw just how beautiful it is. I had the biggest appreciation of the Aussie Hero Quilts and laundry bags and their volunteers. 

You are quite the quilter! You have done an amazing job and I am so delighted to share this story with my family and friends. My Mum does quilting sessions. I often tell her she should volunteer too. 

Opening this quilt derived 17 years of service in one moment. I have had an interesting career with many ups and downs. I'd love to share some of these with you. I didn't know I had some relatives who served in the Navy overseas until I joined.

 

I joined in 2009. I was a very pro-active sailor and volunteered for every sea jolly which led me to to serve time on HMAS Darwin, Sydney, Yarra and even Young Endeavour. My last posting is HMAS Gascoyne. These times at sea were very hard, long days, constantly coming and going. Somehow I found time to meet my husband who is in the Air Force. Now I spend a lot of time following his postings. Eventually we would swap primary career roles and it was my turn to choose what's next. 

We decided to begin parenthood which changed a few things. I did some part time work. But, as a defence member you never stay anywhere long. We were moving again soon to SA. We absolutely love SA. 

I am so lucky to have seen and done all of what I have in this career so far. I am also lucky to be one of so many members who receive a quilt It is lying on my spare bed and often comes into the lounge room to keep me warm as it is cold in SA! We have a 9 year old border collie who I sometimes see sleeping on the edge of the quilt. 

I will treasure this quilt forever and pass it down. 

Thanks again and all the best. 

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Good afternoon Jan-Maree,

 

I wanted to email to say thank you very much for the laundry bags provided to myself and my Flight.

 

We are incredibly grateful to Cheryl and Sue G for the laundry bags, as well as to yourself and every person associated with Aussie Hero Quilts who has made this incredible organisation possible. I’ve personally been aware of your work since I was deployed to Afghanistan in 2012/13 and was fortunate to receive a beautiful quilt from one of the volunteers back then.

 

Again, thanks so much for your support of us and all current and former members of the ADF. 

Yours Aye,

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Cheers Catherine D

Until next week keep your letters, emails and photos coming in.  Wednesdays would be so totally boring without them!

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