Grati-Wednesday 28th October 2026

 

Happy Wednesday Friends!

Hope everyone who could make it to the fantastic volunteer weekend in Canberra had a fabulous time!!

Don't forget to order your 2027 AHQ calendar.

Please enjoy another wonderful collection of gratitude letters and images. 

Please enjoy the canine aspect of this blog as well....

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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Good afternoon Cath H, Jan-Maree,

 

I want to preface this email with a massive thank you for the time and effort you go through to ensure those who are deployed in an unfamiliar environment are given something that reminds them of home.

 

I have recently returned home from a three month deployment overseas. I do want to thank you Cath not only for your beautiful laundry bag, but for the letter you sent through. It’s a wonderful thing making a new friend and listening to their stories and experiences in life.

 

I apologise for keeping this short and sweet, but please know I am incredibly grateful to have been given a gift that was made with love.

 

Look after yourselves,

***

Hi Hilary T, 

I just wanted to send a quick email to thank you for the laundry bag I received through Aussie Hero Quilts.

I really appreciate the time and effort that volunteers like yourself put into supporting ADF personnel.

The bag will certainly be put to good use during our sailing. I hope your sailing is going well! 

Thanks again!

***

Hello Steph F,

 

I have just received the dog mat made by yourself.

 

I am currently in training for a Defence Community Dog.

 

Today I received my service dog along with my bag of goodies to support him. I appreciate your efforts and time you took to make the mat to support the DCDs.

 

Thank you for your letter and support, it is greatly appreciated.

***

Good Afternoon Bridget R,

 

Thank you for making and sending a laundry bag.

 

I received it this week onboard HMAS Choules while deployed around Indonesia. The bag I got was Van Gogh, I chose this from a pile.

 

This was very fitting as I look similar – red head red beard.

 

I have also been doing painting drawing now sculpting over past few years. I have recently put 6 drawings in a veterans exhibition in Darwin.

 

I have been a medic for 18 years with various deployments in the middle east, boarder protection, COVID assist etc.

 

Thank you again for your contribution to veterans through this charity is very much appreciated and loved by all.

 

Regards

***

Hi Jenny N,

Thank you so much for the bag. You do an amazing job, and yours caught my eye immediately.

I also wanted to thank you for your beautiful letter. It was wonderful to read about your family.

I have been serving in the Navy for 17 years. At the moment, I am deployed and expecting to return home in early December. Hopefully that goes to plan, as unfortunately we were unable to make it home for Christmas last year due to unforeseen circumstances.

I am married and have three children: 22, 19, and 16. My wife works as an Education Assistant, and my eldest daughter is studying to become a primary school teacher. The middle child is currently at university, while the youngest is still in high school. I feel incredibly fortunate to have such a wonderful and supportive family.

Thank you again for your kind words. I truly enjoy my work and feel very blessed to have the support of thoughtful and generous people like yourself. Knowing that people are thinking of us and supporting us while we are away from home means a great deal.

Wishing you and your family all the very best.

Kind regards,

***

Good afternoon Robyn P,

 

I just wanted to say thank you for creating the wonderful Aussie Hero Quilt for me.

I, like all of the Veteran community who have been touched by these incredible gifts are thankful for your (and the other quilters) efforts and creativity.

Your attention to detail and dedication in the construction of the quilt are exemplary and I will cherish it for all time.

 

Thank you for your gratitude. It is citizens like yourself that enable the servicemen and women of this nation to keep putting on the uniform and serving the best country on the planet. 

Sincerely and respectfully,

 

***

Hello Deirdre BL,

I am serving in the RAN. You recently created a red, white, and blue quilt featuring pictures of a Blue Heeler dog for me through AHQ and I just wanted to say thank you! Last year my dog, Violet, passed away while I was away and it was quite difficult for me. She was roughly thirteen years old and my family had her since I was about seven years old. I loved her to bits, although she barked a lot, she was the cutest.

As a fellow West Australian, I wasn't too fussed about the Dockers making it into the GF, as I'm more of an Eagles fan anyway .

I appreciated the Bluey bits on my blanket as I have a younger sister who not too long ago would force me to watch it with her, regardless if I wanted to or not. Anyways, I will finish up here in Sydney in the next couple of months and then I'll move back to Perth, still in the Navy. As much as I enjoy Sydney, I definitely enjoy the more laid back lifestyle of Perth!

Again, thank you so much for taking the time to make the quilt. I hope you have a good week ahead!

***

Good afternoon Bridget R,

 

Hi from HMAS Choules, Royal Australian Navy ship.

 

Just emailing to let you know I have received the AWESOME laundry bag that you have made. Thank you so much, I definitely picked the ‘coolest’ one!!

 

Thank you for the letter, I hope yourself and your whole family are doing well, and I really appreciate the effort you have gone into making and sending the laundry bag through.

 

Hope you have a wonderful afternoon.

 

Kind regards,

***

Dear Angela T, 

Thank you so much! I received my stay mat on my course in Bathurst whilst receiving my assistance dog from DCD in September this year.

I only just opened it and found this amazing letter. Thank you for sharing your journey with family members in the military. You must be so proud. Thank you for telling me a bit about you. It sounds like you’re happy where you are. Sounds like you also have an amazing job too. 

I am a Navy veteran and was in a while ago but had fond memories of this time. 

Here is a picture of my new assistance dog. He was a guide dog puppy and was acquired by Defence Community dogs to be trained. I have had him for 3 weeks and it has helped me a lot already.  

Thank you again for writing this letter and just know it was much appreciated. 

Kind regards,

 

***

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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