Grati-Tuesday 11th October 2022

Written by AHQ

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11 October 2022

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Happy Tuesday Friends!

Hope everyone has had a fantastic week.

We have another great mixture of thank you's and photos this week. They are guaranteed to brighten your day!

So grab a cuppa, sit back, relax and enjoy the

following gratitude letters and photos.

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Good evening Robyn H,

I am a physiotherapist who received a laundry bag from you last year. I am sorry about the late email because I only received your mail at the past weekend. The parcel went to my brother’s house in Melbourne because I was in the middle of moving from Darwin to Sydney at the end of last year. Of course with three kids at home, things tend to go missing and re-appear again!

I recently moved to Sydney. It’s a smooth move except I got COVID in the first month I was here after living in a pretty much COVID free world for the past two years. Gladly I recovered quickly. I hope you and your family are doing well.
I really appreciated your team offered the hero quilt to health professionals. I was never deployed and do not see myself deploying in my military career. I always wanted one seeing my colleagues receives one when they went oversea.
There are only handful of physio's in the Army. We have many physio's working at the garrison health centre but they are not commission as military members.
I always thought I will do more camping when I came to Sydney but work has been hectic this year. I would love to hike the Blue Mountains in the coming Christmas period.
Again, thank you for the laundry bag and the letter. Take care! 🙂
Warm regards,

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Dear Joy H

I am an exceptionally lucky recipient of one of your 9yo grandson’s laundry bags. I am told that he made 6 of these beautiful hand-crafted bags whilst he was staying with you. I would like to pass on my sincerest thanks to both you and he for my fantastic gift. I was absolutely delighted to receive my bag and even more impressed at the craftsmanship and skill used to make them (kudos to his sewing teacher!!). Quilting is something my late grandmother enjoyed teaching me when I was young, so this holds a very special place in my heart. Thank you both so much.

I am currently undergoing training with the Royal Australian Navy. Once qualified, I will be responsible for maintaining and operating the engineering machinery and systems on our ships to help ensure they reach their required capabilities and remain fully operational. I am looking forward to using my laundry bag on board the ship during future deployments.

Your gift has brightened my day and your thoughtfulness means so much to me. I wish you both good health and happiness and applaud your kindness. Keep up the great work!!

Yours Sincerely,

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Good morning Kathy W,

I wanted to thank you deeply for the time, effort, and resources you put into creating my Aussie Quilt.

It’s fantastic and I can’t wait to take it with me, especially if I ever deploy in the future.

Thank you for also sharing about your family and life with me. How exciting it will be to visit your son in NZ so soon! I’m sure it will be a glorious catch up after 3 years.

I am in Canberra and my family are in Perth, so I know how hard it is being away from them.

Again, thank you from the bottom of my heart for my quilt. I will forever be grateful!

Kind regards,

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Good morning Jacqui D.

I recently received one of your quilts.

I would like to thank you form the bottom of my heart it is so beautiful.

My husband sent in the request without my knowledge, it was such a wonderful surprise.

Your quilt suits me to a tee it will be a great addition to our camping trailer for when we start our travels.

Kind regards,

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Good Morning Ruth S,

I hope this email finds you well. I just wanted to write to thank you for the laundry bag, which I received today. I’m absolutely very happy with it, and I’ll add that receiving your letter with it was fantastic to read.

Thank you for taking the time and effort you’ve put in, it’s very much appreciated.

Noted that you are from South Australia. I grew up in the Adelaide Hills before enlisting in the RAN in 2020. Always good to hear from another South Aussie, as we are few and far between in the Navy!

Thanks again, and I hope the rest of the year treats you well.

Warm regards,

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Good morning Ruth S,

I really liked your laundry bag. Thank you for your awesome efforts and undying support in making this bag to share to us current serving ADF members. It means a lot to me. You're a legend. Have a good one.

Regards,

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Dear Ruth S,

I recently received the beautiful laundry bag you made for me. I wanted to write to you to thank you so very much for so generously making it for me. I will treasure it forever and it will always remind me of your generosity and kindness in taking time to create something so special and so uniquely personal

I especially appreciate you including in the design both my AALC and RACMP corps badges. My time in East Timor was during that country's first presidential elections. I remember those days very clearly and they remain in my memory as days filled with doing work that hopefully contributed in some small way to building peace in that part of the world.

Since then I have continued to serve in the Reserves and am now on my second age extension and hoping to be able to serve for another year or two before retiring. I love the Army and all it stands for and all its work.

The care and love you have put into making this very special bag for me is very clear to see. Each time I stop and look, it makes me so happy to be ale to see and reflect the amazing skill and great work you have put into producing something so very beautiful.

There are no words I can find to adequately express what the laundry bag means to me. All I can say is I am very deeply appreciative and so very grateful you have so very kindly taken time to make something so very special and so very uniquely personal for me.

Once again, thank you so very, very, very much.

I will absolutely treasure it always.

Yours very sincerely and with my greatest gratitude,

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I received my laundry bag from Lisa K and I love it.

Thank you very much

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Dear Pennie T and Deirdre B-L,

On behalf of myself, and the members of the HQ 17th Sustainment Brigade who were recipients of the wonderful quilt and laundry bag you lovingly created, I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your wonderful work.

I personally presented the quilt and laundry bag to two of my officers and there was a mixture of laughs and shock, but a sense of gratitude which I wished I had a camera at the time as the reaction was absolutely priceless.

The HQ administers the primary logistics and medical units in the Army and as a result we are one of the higher tempo units in the ADF, having since I submitted the requests, we have been heavily involved with the recent deployments to Tonga, the NSW Flood emergency in April and July and the ADF COVID-19 assistance to the nursing homes. A number of the recipients have deployed or are currently deployed or involved, so may not be in a position to reach out to you at this moment. I am sure each member will reply in due course, but I wanted you to know that your gifts from the heart have been presented and received by a very grateful soldier.

Yours sincerely,

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Hi Bev L,

Just wanted to personally thank you for your letter and the quilt I received from you! I had a difficult morning and this made my entire day.

I am absolutely in LOVE with the design – I couldn’t stop looking at it. My reaction when I first opened the parcel had my colleague laughing because I was so jubilant.

Very grateful for the work you and the team continue to do.

Thank you again!!!

Special mention and acknowledgement to Keryn (embroidery) and Philomena (quilting & binding).

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Dear Bev F and Cheryl F,

Thank you very much for the quilt and wash bag, something to treasure as a keepsake.

It would have been great to have something like these when I did my deployment to Rwanda and we took our own bed linen to remind us of home (It was our choice to do that)

Everyone who has seen them are totally impressed.

So once again, thank you

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Hi Heather B,

I would like to thank you so very much for the fabulous quilt you made for me.

My husband helps out with Aussie Hero Quilts so I probably understand more than most your absolute dedication to brightening the day of members in many different circumstances and for that I truly thank you.

Jan-Maree and her husband came over for dinner a couple of weeks ago and I was completely surprised when she presented me with your fabulous quilt. Jan-Maree had been showing me the quilts for auctioning at the dinner and then said she had one more quilt to show me. As I unfolded it I could see that it was a West Coast Eagles (WCE) quilt and my first thought was how very lucky someone was going to be to receive this quilt. It took me a couple of moments to realise that the quilt was for me! I am a diehard, one-eyed WCE supporter and I can’t even begin to tell you how much I love this quilt.

I will discharge early next year after 32years so the nod to the Air Force and my service is just wonderful. I have always had a soft spot for the Brisbane Lions so I was sorry to see they did not make the Grand Final. Your team had a great season which unfortunately cannot be said about the Eagles - onward to next year!

I have to say that you chose a great name for your daughter. I don’t know about her but I love my name. I see that your family’s a proud military history. Our Family is starting down that line. My husband is Navy and our son is Army. Our daughter is just in the process of hopefully joining the Navy! Our number third child is hoping to go to ADFA as an Air Force Engineer so definitely doing our bit to serve this country!

The lady who made my laundry bag is a Power supporter so I think it would be fair to say that between the two of you it has been a labour of ‘AFL’ love and I am truly grateful to have such a wonderful reminder of my service. I will most definitely be at the dinner in Oct so I look forward to meeting you and being able to thank you in person.

Thank you & kind regards

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

Tuesday's would be so totally boring without them!

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

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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,

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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,

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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

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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,

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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,

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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,

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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,

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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,

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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

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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,

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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,