Grati-Tuesday 24th December 2024

Written by AHQ



24 December 2024



Happy Tuesday Friends!

Happy Christmas Eve!

Another great bunch of messages and photos from near and far, so grab a cuppa or very cool beverage, sit back and relax while you soak up some well-deserved gratitude.

Only 1 sleep until Christmas Day.

...

Good Morning Ruth S

Thankyou so so much for my Laundry bag I absolutely love it! I also loved the note you left for me and the cute flower stickers! I love cute stickers.

I hope you and your family have a lovely Christmas and thankyou for doing what you do! It's something I will keep for a long time and make me smile at sea when I use it.

All the best,

...

G'day Jan-Maree and Heather B,

Here's the photo of the handover of the quilt to the CO 8/9 RAR.

The man on the right is the RSM of 8/9 RAR.

Thanks again for the brilliant quilt and for Heather B making time to present it.

The CO was very impressed.

Regards,

Quilt by Heather B, Embroideries by Inge C

...

Good afternoon Lynn K,

I just received my laundry bag today. Thank you so much for the work you put in for that it is amazing and I couldn't be happier. No need to apologise about the England part I realise now that I should have been a bit more specific.

I know your home town quite well as I used to stop by there sometimes when I would drive home from Sydney to my residence on the Gold Coast. I have since moved to WA to continue my career in the RAN.

Thank you again for the laundry bag I can't stop looking at it and I can't wait to use it when I go away next.

Hope you have a very merry Christmas and a wonderful new year.

...

Hi Jenny N,

I'm just writing a quick email to thank you for the beautifully made laundry bag (thankfully I don't mind spiders haha) and the heartfelt letter that came with it. I've just come back from an exercise overseas where it was very handy.

We do what we do because of people like you that make this such a great country and I'm so grateful to you, it was a small gift but it meant the world.

Also loved hearing about your family so thank them for doing some of the heavy lifting and may you and yours have a very Merry Christmas and happy new year.

Best Regards,

...

Hi Ruth S

A quick email to say thank you very much for the laundry bag you made me! The design is amazing!

When I received it last week it made my day! Thank you for what you do I really appreciate it.

I hope you and your family have a Merry Christmas!

Regards,

...

Hi Jan-Maree

Just a quick note to thank you for my Aussie Hero Quilt. I was absolutely blindsided when Leo (chairman of our Board) presented it yesterday - it is absolutely gorgeous! I live down the coast now and I spend most of my time volunteering for WIRES and RFS - I think I am busier than when I was working! Haven't sewn in ages but hope to get back to it next year - I need more time for me!

Have and very Merry Christmas and New year

Recipient in Green top

Recipient with fellow air traffic controller showing off their quilts

...

Good Morning Ruth S,

I wanted to reach out and say thank you very much for the laundry bag!

I loved it and it made my day when I received it, the chocolate went down a treat as well. I started using the laundry bag right away and everyone was jealous!

Thanks for making the deployment that little bit more bearable!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

...

Good Afternoon Pennie T,

I firstly want to apologise for my late response. After receiving my Aussie Hero Quilt I have been meaning to write to you for quite some time now and have only found the time now once everyone from the Battalion has gone on leave.

I have been back in Australia now for a couple of months and the Battalion has been so busy since being back. I was able to explore the UK and Scotland whilst being deployed over there and absolutely loved every minute of it.

The Job over there was quite rewarding and you can't help but feel sorry for the Ukrainians and what they are going through.

I was able to get to the Edinburgh tattoo which I highly recommend putting on your bucket list if you haven't already seen it. I got up as far as Glencoe Highlands and spent a fair bit of time exploring Edinburgh and Stirling.

I wanted to say Thank You for my quilt it was exactly what I was after, I really could have used it over there as I hadn't experienced cold like that in a very long time.

I think it is quite honourable in what you are doing with Aussie Hero Quilts and you should be very proud, you have made this soldier very happy and warm when the colder months come back around.

I'd like to wish you a very Merry Christmas , Happy New Year and all the best for the future.

Keep up the good work as it doesn't go unnoticed.

Thank you again.

Kind Regards,

...

Good Afternoon Aussie Hero Quilts

I just wanted to send an email before Christmas and say a massive thank you to all of your team for their support. Our team (OP Mazurka) have start receiving their quilts and laundry bags which has created a lot of excitement among a lot of members who are on their first deployment particularly at this time of year.

Once all of the team have received theirs (we are having some delays with our mail currently) I will be sure to get some photos and send them through.

Thank you again, have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Cheers,

...

Hi Anne Hnr,

Thank you so very much for taking the time and effort to not only create me an amazing and unique laundry bag but also for your very generous letter (and snacks!).

I must apologise for my delayed response, I have been back in Australia for a few weeks now however unfortunately was home sick for a couple of them with your letter safely at work.

I did not know a lot about Jordan prior to going either however it was such an incredible country with history that truly boggled my mind. There is extensive presence of Roman, Biblical and more modern history spread throughout the country. Of particular note was that I saw more Roman Theatres in Jordan than I ever did when travelling through Italy! We were fortunate to be able to explore occasionally and I was able to visit the Dead Sea which is one of the most unique experiences - it would be impossible to drown there however is so salty that you can't spend too long in the water. Visiting Jesus' baptism site was fascinating and the photos of Petra do not do justice to the scale and awe of how impressive the monuments there truly are.

I really appreciate you sharing some insight in to your life and it was uplifting to read you describe your interests, family and surrounds in beautiful Tasmania.

The ASLAV on the laundry bag was incredible, very high definition and has come up amazing. As people move through their military careers they often do many diverse jobs, as is the case with me, and some colleagues were requesting some different references to various stages of their careers on their bags which was the inspiration for the ASLAV. AWC was a bit of a unique one however I'd be surprised if there weren't some more AWC requests from my colleagues at the time. It stands for 'Aussie Walk Club' and became a bit of a movement while we were on base in Jordan. It started with a couple of the guys being injured and unable to run so they would walk laps of the running track at lunch and chat. It became a bit of a 'drop in' activity for the Australian's for those that felt like a chat or to get a break from the computer screen at lunch and get some sun. It grew rapidly with many countries eventually participating every day, including the most senior ranks of our international colleagues being particularly invested and attended frequently. It became a great way to socialise, make connections and disconnect from the deployed-life that everybody was living. On our final walk we had nearly one hundred people all walking laps and making lasting connections. They renamed the oval the 'Aussie Walking Track'.

The team was really appreciative of all you and your colleagues efforts and support and when the quilts and laundry bags started to roll in, everyone's spirits were definitely lifted and the laundry room became a lot more colourful with everyone's bag having a different story to tell! Thank you for all your support through your terrific organisation, volunteering your time like that is an incredibly humble way to serve the people of Australia and I really thank you for it.

Last day of the working year for me today, I'm off to Sydney to see my family for Christmas before doing a road trip to Adelaide (where I lived when working with ASLAVs) for a wedding and catching up with old friends. I'll be coming home the long way back, via the Great Ocean Road, which will be the first time for me and am really looking forward to it. I'm also looking forward to the great pubs and bakeries that you find along the way of big road trips!

I hope you and your family have a wonderful Christmas, with plenty of quality time spent together and wishing you a terrific 2025!

Thank you again for your support in making the laundry bag, it is the first thing I packed for my trip and I will cherish it forever - thank you.

...

Hi Sheena,

I hope this email finds you well.

This email is in response to your letter written July 2024.

Sorry I have been a bit tardy on answering but I have been battling with Health issues with a loss of a leg and prostate cancer.

I'm going back for further treatment, Theronostics (Being Nuked by infusion) otherwise only the other option is the Ultimate.

Thank you for the beautiful quilt, a total surprise and unexpected.

The quality of your workmanship is amazing and is deeply appreciated.

Please accept my appreciation and gratitude for this quilt, you people are amazing.

Thank you,

...

Hi Janis K,

I want to say a big thank you for my Quilt! It's incredible and the detail is unreal. Hands down the best Quilt I have ever received! You are very talented and we appreciate the time and effort that goes into making quilts for us. This Quilt is permanently staying on my bed whilst deployed until I leave!

These custom quilts/laundry bags really go a long way and make our time away just that little bit easier being able to make it a bit more home-y. I hope you continue to enjoy retirement and it sounds like you have a wonderful family. I also hope you have a very Merry Christmas and New Year with everyone.

Thanks again Janis for everything yourself and everyone at Aussie Hero Quilts and Laundry Bags do for us.

Kind regards,

...

Dear Jan-Maree B,

Of course I remember sitting next to you at dinner last year. It was a delightful evening and it was wonderful to catch up with so many old faces and to have contact with the new. Delightful more so as we had a wonderful conversation about Aussie Hero Quilts. as, until then, I was unaware of its existence.

When I mentioned that 85 Transport Platoon was having a reunion you asked to be put in touch with our reunion coordinator as "you had an idea". Of course I did find out that you provided personalised laundry bags from all the attendees, but it came as a surprise to them. All of them, and me too, were impressed with the quality and the detail in the making of each bag. There was obviously a lot of skill in their production and a considerable amount of research to have found the personal details of all our attending members. They were a big hit and contributed to the conduct of a most successful reunion.

My bag was made by Ruth S from South Australia and I did send her an acknowledgement of my gratitude and thanked her for her contribution to our event. It was most appreciated and I believed that would be the end of our association with Aussie Hero Quilts.

I was therefore surprised to find out that my presence was required at a function to welcome new Duntroon graduates to our Corps to allow me to be presented with a quilt! This function was held yesterday and I was doubly surprised to discover that it was a personalised quilt for me as I had thought that it might have been a presentation to The Roadrunners.

Gail and Joan B's product is magnificent! I have sent her a message of my gratitude and appreciation. In my study is a King single bed for grandchildren visits and my SCANS (Senior Citizens Afternoon Naps) and it will take pride of place there. My wife and three adult children see it as a wonderful way of depicting my career and a wonderful keepsake. I attended Duntroon straight out of school and had a happy and I believe successful time, both personally and from the family perspective. It really is the only life that I have known.

Thank you for explaining the rationale for forming Aussie Hero Quilts; you and your team are most generous and go a long way to overcoming the public response to our service on return to Australia. It is most gratifying to see that there is also political support to our members of the Australian Defence Force and their deployments to ensure our Nation's security. Congratulations and well done; may your good work continue.

Again, thank you. Could you please extend my gratitude to your many volunteers and let them know how much we appreciate their work. They are very skilled and very generous; their work and thoughtfulness are most appreciated.

Kind regards and best wishes,

...

Good Evening Marilyn S,

I have just received my laundry bag in the mail yesterday and I love it, thank you so much! The old school Disney fabric you picked are so cute and I am so excited to use my bag.

I am an imagery specialist (photographer) there is only about 35 of us in the Navy and I have been in for just over 5 years now. I am originally from the Gold Coast (my family is still there) although I live WA, it's just myself and a 9 year old border collie named Thor, he is very cute and a big sook that loves a cuddle. Mum has flown over to WA to visit for Chrissy, I will visit the rest of my family on the Gold Coast in April next year.

The Dandenong Ranges must be beautiful, 6 children yourself and so many grandchildren and great grandchildren to love. It's amazing that you all live so close and get to spend lots of time together. I only have one brother and a niece and nephew so my family is tiny compared to yours. I can imagine it would be very busy at your house when you all get together. I bet Christmas is a blast but a big day for food and presents!

Have a wonderful Christmas and thank you again for the laundry bag and the Christmas ornament. So beautiful and kind of you to take the time to make this for me. I appreciate all of the volunteers from AHQ and the amazing work you all do!

Merry Christmas and happy new years!

...

Until next week keep your letters, emails and photos coming in.

Tuesday's would be so totally boring without them!

🎄🎅🎄🎅🎄🎅🎄🎅🎄🎅🎄🎅

Bobbie S and the Mystery BOMers. Emb Joan Quilted by Philomena and added to by Bridget
LB Ruth S

❤❤❤

Good afternoon Hilary P,

I am writing to say thank you so much for the lovely quilt, laundry bag and letter!

I am amazed at the detail and thought you have put into the quilt for me and I can not thank you enough!It is something I will treasure for a long time and I will definitely be using the laundry bag on my next deployed or trip!

I really appreciate the time you took to write the letter noting how busy you and all the other volunteers are at AHQ. I hope the annual dinner in Canberra goes well. You all deserve to be celebrated for the work you do.

Even though I am back from my deployment now, I am honoured to know there are people like you out there, looking out for those of us away from family, friends and loved ones.

Thank you again!

Kindest regards,

❤❤❤

Dear Sue-Ellen S,

I’m in the Royal Australian Navy posted to HMAS Stuart and currently on deployment in Asia. I am 25 years old and I grew up in Melbourne and joined the RAN when I was 19 and I now live in WA. The other week I received the laundry bag you made along with your letter. Thank you so much for the laundry bag as its well made and the perfect size. I greatly appreciate the work you do with AHQ and at your local RSL (pulling beers is essential work ) and all others who volunteer. As a sailor a sturdy Dhobey bag (laundry bag) is very nice to have and makes life onboard just that bit much easier as the standard issue bags tend to rip and tear. I enjoyed reading your letter and hearing about your family military history. I hope your retirement is going well and I wish your sons the best.

Kindest regards,

❤❤❤

Hi Ruth S,

I just received my laundry bag that you compiled. It is fantastic, so thank you for your time and effort to make us veterans feel people care.

Again, thank you and take care

regards

❤❤❤

Good evening Sue-Ellen S,

I'm an electronics technician in the Royal Australian Navy, proud father to a rabbit named Pickles, and as of the other day, the even prouder owner of a majestic blue laundry bag covered in platypuses (or platypies... whatever the plural may be).

I must admit, I wasn't originally looking for a new laundry bag we get issued a fresh one with every new posting, after all. But the moment I saw that vibrant blue pattern and the platypuses (which happen to be my mother’s absolute Favorite animal and that felt a little bit like the universe was trying to tell me something), I knew I had to grab it right away.

Fun fact about the humble platypus: because they lay eggs and produce milk. So, if you're ever stuck in the bush craving an omelette a platypus is your one-stop shop!

On a more personal note, I hope your sons are doing well. Reading your letter, your pride in them and the work they do shines through so clearly. They are incredibly lucky to have such a supportive mother in their corner.

I personally have not attended one of the charity dinners for the Doby bag cause, however a ex of mine has in 2024, and apparently it was quite the shindig.

Thank you so much for everything you do with your local RSL. The support you provide isn't just vital to active service members, it's a massive morale booster for the entire veteran community.

Please make sure to enjoy a well-deserved pint (or several) after reading this. You’ve more than earned it.

Warm regards,

❤❤❤

Dear Hilary T,

I would like to express my gratitude to you for the beautiful laundry bag that you so skilfully created. I was gifted it after completing a deployment. The design and craftsmanship is impressive.

I am a member of the Australian Army Reserves and work as a signaller. I too originate from overseas- I am Scottish, and like you moved to Australia for better weather and more of an outdoor lifestyle for our children to grow up in. It has been such a beautiful country to live in and we appreciate all of the opportunities that we have been given. I joined the Reserves as a way of serving and giving something back. (I am a Sonographer in my full time job. )

I will be proud to use the laundry bag whenever I am away with Army and once again, thank you so much.

Kindest regards,

❤❤❤

Good Afternoon Clarissa L,

I'm a Soldier at the 2nd Cavalry Regiment and was very fortunate to receive a laundry bag sewn by yourself from Aussie Hero Quilts. I know I and everyone who received one was very grateful for your token of appreciation and to know that we're being thought of. It will be very handy as I'm about to step off on a six week task within Australia. Again thank you very much for giving up your valuable time to help ADF Personnel across the globe, it's greatly appreciated!

Kind regards,

❤❤❤

Dear Janice L,

Thank you so very much for my new laundry bag (its going to get a good work out) it is very hot on our current deployment.

I just wanted to tell you a little about myself. I’ve been serving in the Royal Australian Navy for 15 years now. During that time I have had the opportunity to work across Submarines, Supply ships and ANZAC Class frigates. (currently on HMAS Stuart) It’s been a challenging career, but one that I am proud of and enjoy. I have also been lucky to have some incredible experiences.

I have a wife and Family of 4 children (not including our dog JJ) back home in Rockingham, WA. We come from Brisbane but I had to move to WA when I started working on Submarines. One of the hardest parts of the job is spending time away from them.

The Navy is a big part of my life but my family keeps me grounded.

I hope this gives you a little insight into who I am. Thank you to Aussie Hero quilts and your self for the quilt.

Kind regards,

❤❤❤

Hello Hilary T,

I'm the recipient of the Bag you made and had sent to the 2nd Cavalry Regiment. I'm writing to thankyou for the lovely bag / letter and to express my gratitude for your support through Aussie Hero Quilts.

To let you know abit about the recipient of your bag, I was born and raised in Newcastle so I'm well aware of the beautiful country that is the Nelson bay area and try to take the opportunity to show it to my Cairns born partner whenever I get the chance, it just goes to show how close we probably were at one point even though we know live on the other side of the country.

I joined the Army in 2020 and commissioned through the Royal Military College - Duntroon in Canberra and was allocated to the Royal Australian Armoured Corps as a Cavalry Officer. Since then I have been posted to the School of Armour in Puckapunyal as an instructor then to the 2nd Cavalry Regiment in Townsville.

I thankyou again for your work and hopefully you know how much these bags were appreciated by everyone at the Regiment.

Kind regards,

❤❤❤

Hi Janice B,

I just wanted to email you and let you know I received my quilt and laundry bag.

I love them. I have read the Eragon series and recognised the Dragon right away. Not gonna lie, I squealed a little.
Also I did test the laundry bag and kept laughing.

My uncle was a submariner as well so we have a lot in common it seems! I loved reading your letter and about all your
adventures.

Thank you once again for my quilt and Laundry bad. I love them and appreciate all the effort you and your team put into
them.

Kind regards

❤❤❤

Hi Lois S,

Thank you so much for the beautiful quilt. I received it in perfect condition, and I wanted to let you know that it was exactly what I was after. The design, colours and space theme are fantastic, and I can see the incredible amount of work and care that went into creating it. The embroidered patches, ISS, Saturn V and Space Shuttle are particularly impressive, and knowing that they took around 250,000 stitches makes me appreciate it even more.

I also really enjoyed reading about your time in Florida and your visits to the Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral. Watching the launch of Discovery STS-120 must have been an amazing experience.

Like you, I have been to the Kennedy Space Center multiple times, and I honestly think it is one of the best places to visit in Florida. Every visit has been memorable, and as someone with an interest in space exploration, I never get tired of seeing the exhibits, launch facilities and history on display.

Thank you again for your generosity, time and effort in making the quilt. It will be something I treasure for many years to come. I truly appreciate the support you and the Aussie Hero Quilts community provide to veterans.

Kind regards,

❤❤❤

The following letter was published on the 26th August so it may be familiar. We have now received permission to publish the photo so I thought it was very tied in with the letter, it deserved a second publishing:

Dear Shirley D,

I hope this email finds you well.

I recently received the amazing laundry bag that you made for me through Aussie Hero Quilts while serving with the Australian Contingent in the Sinai as part of the Multinational Force and Observers. Thank you for the incredible time, care and generosity that went into making it. Receiving a parcel from home is always appreciated, but receiving something handmade by a complete stranger was something quite special and I couldn't be more grateful.

I also wanted to thank you for taking the time to write such a personal letter. I genuinely enjoyed reading about your family, your textile art, and the remarkable work you have done supporting Australian service personnel since 2015.

Of everything you wrote, it was the story of your father that resonated with me the most. During this deployment, I had the privilege of leading a battlefield study of Alexandria and El Alamein four our contingent, where we walked the ground, visited the Commonwealth War Cemetery and reflected on the actions fought there. Reading about your father's service with the 2/24th Battalion, and the sacrifices he made at both El Alamein and later in New Guinea, made me incredibly proud of his service and privileged to have stood on the same ground where he and so many other Australians fought. It also struck me that, more than eighty years later, an Australian soldier is serving in the same region while receiving a laundry bag made by the daughter of one of those veterans. That is a connection I will never forget.

I also wanted to say how much I appreciated the Egyptian theme of the laundry bag. It was clear how much thought went into making something that reflected where I was serving, and the pyramids, the colours of sand and the kangaroos could not have been more fitting for my deployment with the MFO. It has already become one of my favourite keepsakes from my time in the Sinai and will be coming home to Australia with me when I return.

I've attached a photo taken overlooking the Gulf of Aqaba at South Camp shortly after I received your parcel. I thought you might enjoy seeing where your laundry bag ended up.

There are many people who contribute quietly to Australia's military capability without ever wearing a uniform. Your generosity, talent and countless hours of volunteer work are part of that contribution. Although we have never met, your kindness reached me on the other side of the world and made a genuine difference.

Thank you again for everything you do for Australian service men and women. It is deeply appreciated.

Kind regards,