HELLO!!!
You might have noticed, we didn't post yesterday and have saved the grati-post until today, we recently made the decision to change the day we share our grati posts to Wednesday to avoid the sweep of pages getting 'cancelled or closed' in the latest Facebook changes.
We hope you enjoy the new day for grati posts as being extra special for your mid-week update from us, and are otherwise having a great and safe week.
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Hi Catherine,
Oh my, I am sorry I have not replied to you yet!
Thank you so much for getting my quilt and laundry bag to my partner so quickly - he has had it for over a month now and loves it. It is so bright and colourful and looks sooooo good on his bed.
Best of all, he loves it.
Thank you so much for the work you and your team do, much appreciated.
Kind Regards.
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Hi Bridget,
I would love to let you know that I finally, after many many months, have received my laundry bag and I am just as in love with it as my quilt.
Many thanks to you and the team for what you do. It does not go unappreciated.
Regards.
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Good Evening Pennie,
I hope this email finds you well. I was recently the recipient of one of your gorgeous dobby bags. I am posted to HMAS Gascoyne as an Officer of the Watch. This means that it is my job to keep a lookout whilst I am on watch and ensure that the crew and the ship remain safe. Having been gifted with your dobby bag, this made for many happy faces and gears us up for a big year ahead.
A little bit about me. I am 24 years old and before I joined the Navy, I grew up in South Australia. Unfortunately since joining the Navy, I have only come back once a year, but it always makes the trips more special to be able to see all my family and friends again.
We are consistently working shift work and have a very hectic shift. Thank you for all the help you provide to your area and assisting to make many beautiful laundry bags for our service people. I am sure you have been thanked many times but these do bring a brightness to the ship especially, when they are personalised, having our initials on them has made them all the more special.
As I'm sure I could ramble on all night, I don't want to fill your inbox with my ramblings so I'd like to offer my great appreciation for all the work you put in and understand this would have taken a phenomenal amount of time. Receiving your dobby bag made it feel like Christmas all over again and it is truly an awesome and thoughtful gift.
P.S. I loved the colourful seahorse pattern that I got with the teal material, not only does it have my favourite colour, it stands out and who doesn't love some seahorses.
Thank you
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Dearest Bridget,
I would like to personally thank you and the other sewing ladies from Aussie Hero Quilts. The time and dedication you have put into the quilt for me nearly brought a tear to my eye with happiness knowing we have the support of people back home whilst we are away from our families, friends and fellow Aussies.
I remember the stories my step father told me about the Vietnam Vets and how they were received upon their return home from doing a job not because, they wanted to, but because country asked/told them to. It warms the heart from people like yourselves that make serving members push their chest out and hold their head high with pride.
If you could do me a favour and give all the ladies (and gentleman if any) a hug and say a big thank you on my behalf. Maybe even a cheeky kiss on the cheek to show my gratitude for all you do.
P.S. Although I would have liked to have written my reply to you in my own handwriting, I wanted you to be able to understand what is written as my handwriting is terrible. Bit like younger generations not being able to read cursive.
P.P.S Simon and Garfunkel were right. Jesus loves you more than you will know.
May your mind remain sharp and heart beautiful.
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Good Morning Pennie,
Thank you so much for the laundry bag, it's beautiful.
I'm the navigator aboard. I joined the Navy in 2011, so ticked over my 10 years service this year. After my time at recruit school and 6 months of training, I went to the Australian Defence Force academy for 3 years. My dad was part of the first ADFA class 25 years before me, so it was just really lovely to have that connection and legacy. Since then, I've served on a number of ships as you can imagine. I went to the school after that posting and spent 2 years at the bridge simulator teaching which is where I discovered my passion for coaching and mentoring. Thankfully most of my job as the navigator is training and mentoring so I get to live that passion every day.
I joined this ship mid last year and have really honing my skills as a professional mariner as well as training a new bunch of trainees as they progress through. We've got a great crew and it's a privilege to be a part of it.
Personally, I'm a massive nerd and am obsessed with animals. My partner always tells me I should work at the RSPCA after I retire so I can just look after animals all day. My partner is an anaesthetic nurse. He spent 6 months in emergency but didn't like the shifts as much as he does in theatres. We've got 2 cats, a ginger boy who is the biggest cuddle bug and is 9kg so had plenty of love to give, and a grey tabby who is perpetual kitten. Thankfully, they get along really well and are great brothers. I also love gymnastics, and was able to pick it back up a few years ago after nearly 10 years off! My partner got me into cycling which I'm slowly growing to love after years of injuries left me unable to run match.
I hope you're looking after yourself in this COVID world. Thank you for doing what you can in such a crazy world. 2020 was a pretty average year but 2021 is full of possibilities.
Thanks again for the quilt.
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Good Morning Mae,
I am a Petty Officer of the Royal Australian Navy, in the rate of Electronics Technician. In December, instead of going on the 4 weeks leave with my wife that I had planned after a very busy year, I was assigned to Operation COVID Assist. On the second day of inductions, we received the Chaplaincy brief, and we gifted these lovely dobby bags. I was sitting in the front row. The Warrant Officer held aloft a back hand sewn bag, covered in musical notation and asked 'who would like this one?' As I am a musician of sorts - I have been playing guitar since I was 12 - I leapt to my feet and virtually snatched it from him! It is too nice to put dirty laundry in.
Thank you very much for your lovely gift, and your support. We appreciate it. The bags provide some much welcome colour aboard our otherwise grey warships. Though, mine will likely not see a ship...
All the best to you and yours, Mae.
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Helen,
Good Afternoon.
Please accept my humble thank you for the Indigenous Laundry bag given to me by the Padre.
Kind Regards.
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Good Evening Ellen,
Thank you for the laundry bag and letter with your story. I really appreciate the work you do making personalised bag and quilts for deployed members.
I am currently serving in NSW as part of Operation COVID but have been lucky enough to receive one of your groups bags. While working in the Middle East a year ago, your quilts were a prized possession among the boys and something that they will keep reminding them of their trip and how lucky we are to have Australian's thinking of us wherever we are in the world.
What you do is heartfelt and makes us proud to be serving our country.
Kind Regards.
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Good Afternoon Sue-Ellen,
I just received your quilt in the mail today; I am speechless, and humbled that you invested your time for me. Thank you so much. You have done amazing work.
This Christmas / New Year period sure has been quite a strange one. We are under a lot of restrictions to combat COVID19 along with our normal day to day operations; nobody wants to place the rest of the base at risk.
I have a partner back at home, and she has been quite lucky to organise some time to catch up with our family before the lockdown and tackle some landscaping while I have been away. She is an amazing woman to juggle working as an Air Traffic Controller and put up with me on my 5th deployment. Luckily, I don't have much more time to go before I head back home.
Again, I can't express my gratitude enough for your efforts.
Know that it has helped me to push over the 'hump' of my deployments and I am looking forward to having it proudly displayed in our living room once I return.
Kind Regards
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Hi Pennie,
I am writing to you to thank you for the personalised laundry bags we have just received. Let me begin by saying it is greatly appreciated by all on board.
This was certainly a pleasant surprise for the crew and it has done the job of raising a few smiles and putting some colour into the ship which is often a bleak place to be.
I appreciate your personalised letter too. Whilst you thank us for our service, I would like to thank you for your time. Your efforts may not be paid or recognised as they should be and I wish you all the strength and stamina.
Once again, thank you, the crab will give me inspiration as I lead our brilliant young people through the hardships that are ahead of us. All the very best and I will be happy to report our success in the future.
Yours kindly.
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Hi Sue,
I cannot express my gratitude for the amazing and beautiful work you have done to create my quilt. I absolutely love it!
I love that you are so passionate.
I am 28 years old and apart from the RAAF, my family all live in Victoria.
Thanks again.
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Good Morning Bridget,
Thank you so much for the quilt and laundry bag! They are excellent and exceeded my expectations.
I joined the Air Force 10 years ago, as a heavy vehicle mechanic and I still love it. It has been a challenging but rewarding experience at the same time and I look forward to doing many more years.
I have 2 young daughters who have just started the new school year. They are missing me but we talk as much as we can over FaceTime so that helps a little. I also have a lab x golden retriever and 2 cats. Not sure that they are missing me as much as I enjoy their company.
I hope you and your family have survived COVID well.
Once again, thank you to you and your team for the voluntary efforts that you put into making us feel supported from home.
Kind Regards
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Hello Ellen,
You are the wonderfully amazing lady who beautifully crafted a quilt for my husband and I am emailing you as I have not yet given it to him and I wanted to make sure you realised how appreciative I am.
My husband served for just over 22 years in the Air Force before he was medically discharged. He is an amazing husband and father plus an outstanding Airman. He was well reported and promoted very quickly. He was extremely proud of his service. I hope you understand and appreciate just how much a quilt will mean to him. It will show him how much his service mattered and that there are people who are not only proud of him but appreciate the contribution he made.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
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Hello Sue,
You are the wonderfully amazing lady who beautifully crafted a quilt for me and I am emailing you as I wanted to make sure you realised how appreciative I am. I absolutely love it!! I am 51, a grandmother with one grandson, a wife and mother of three, one son and two daughters and we have a very spoilt puppy.
I deployed in 2005 and unfortunately have not had the honour of deploying again - nearly got there. At that time Hero Quilts were not being made and I was always disappointed as I never received one as I saw so many of my friends absolutely love theirs. The Air Commander Australia (ACAUST) has his hanging in his office. I happened to see a post on Facebook about anyone with over 15 years service being able to request one and I was so pleased.
I cannot express how grateful I am and how you captured my likes so perfectly. The detail and stitching of the daffodils was amazing and I really loved the Sound of Music additions. I have forwarded the details of the Hero Quilts to a crafty friend of mine and hopefully she will be in touch to help out.
I hope you all understand how much the work and support you provide to us is appreciated.
Thank you with all my heart.
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Hi Pennie,
I recently received one of your laundry bags with the rest of the ships company. Firstly, I have to say the craftsmanship in the bag is absolutely spectacular. You have truly made something unique and vibrant in everyone that I got to see.
Secondly, the fact that you went to so much trouble to make all of these mean so much, these days it easy to feel like we are forgotten and disregarded until something happens.
I particularly, like mine and there has been talk it's one of the best! Unfortunately I haven't been able to use it yet, as I have been tasked away from the ship for a bit, but looking forward to getting back. They really do liven up the mess and make it feel more like home.
Kind Regards.
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Dear Jan-Maree, Wendy and Lynn,
Thank you so much for my quilt which arrived today. It is beautiful and I love it.
Every time I look at it and use it, I will be reminded of my life in the Army. 43 years is a long time, but it was great. I was able to meet fantastic people, and in a very small way make a contribution to the security of this great nation of ours. However, having now retired in 2020, I am enjoying having time to do new and old things. I have just ventured into the world of quilting and getting back behind a sewing machine. I also plan to undertake some grey nomad adventures in my caravan with friends.
It was lovely to read all your letters and to know that your families are well and prospering as they grow. COVID has certainly changed the way we live our lives, but I know that as Australians we will get through this.
Thank you to the three of you and to all the team that take the time and care to make these quilts. It is truly appreciated.
Regards
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Hi Pennie,
Firstly, I want to say a massive THANK YOU for the laundry bag you made for me. It is really cool and I really appreciate it. I definitely brightens up the chick's living space onboard.
People like you and the people at Aussie Heroes Quilts really make our job easier, it's nice to feel appreciated for what we do.
I joined the Navy in 2013, when I was 18 and straight out of school. I lived in NSW and moved between the mountains and the coast, which gave me a real appreciation for the outdoors. When I'm not at work I am usually at the beach attempting to surf or swimming, or just hanging outside doing anything really.
Thank you again Pennie!
It's such a special and valued organisation you guys have, and I really appreciate it.
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Hello Ellen!
I hope this finds you and your family well.
Below is a pic of the BEAutiful quilt. I have put them on my instagram page but thank you for your amazing work.
Regards.
Enjoy the rest of your evening, I'll write to you again Friday with the beautiful creations off to their new home this week.
Alex x
