Hello Friends, and happy Tuesday!

Big week here in Sydney, as some restrictions ease. I know for a lot of people this brings a sigh of relief as we get back into some of the things that make us happy, or allows us to return to work, but for others who might not be ready to mingle in large crowds, or are a little worried about what might happen this can be an anxious period. 

There’s also many of us still restricted by border closures. For those of you, I just want to say, I see you, and I am with you – It’s been a LONG two years since I’ve seen my little niece and nephews (and their parents of course) as border closures have kept us a part but we are all safe and thankful for technology!

For me, not much changes this week, I am still working from home (which I love, but the long hours do take their toll). I will have 1 or 2 visits with friends and family but otherwise I am happy to keep in the comfort of home a little while longer. Next week, when the sun is due to return, I look forward to dipping my toes in sand, and feeling the waves crash over me – oh how I have missed that!

                                                 I hope you enjoy them as much as I did!

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Hi Pennie,

Many thanks for the kind gesture in sending the laundry bag. 

I’m sure I will use it for many years to come.

Kind Regards,

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Good Afternoon Sheena,

Please excuse the lateness of this email. Reading your letter it states you printed this in July

Due to most likely COVID and sea commitments on my submarine, this is getting back to you just now.

It was great reading your letter. 

My partner and I love to travel outside of Australia, but due to COVID we have been doing a lot of traveling around Western Australia.

My partner and I love animals , and have 2 fur babies – a Ridgeback and Border Collie.

As to the quilt, you sewed for me, I love it. My dogs cuddled up to it when I was on the couch with it when I was at home, and I take it with me, while I go to sea. As to why I picked a rock climbing / outdoor related quilt is, that recently, myself and my partner and some friends (who are also in the submarine force with me) love to go outside and hike to a climbing location and do some sport / trad climbing. 

So since the quilt is so me, and about the thing I love to do when I am alongside, when I take it to sea it reminds me of home and what I enjoy doing.

Aussie Hero’s quilt and laundry bags are renowned in the submarine force, and I know everyone enjoys them.

Thank you again to you and your family.

Kind Regards

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Dear Anne,

I am a Pharmacist currently deployed in the Middle East on Operation ACCORDION. I received a beautiful Aussie Hero Quilt from you!

Thank you so much! It’s more than I ever could have imagined it would be. Yellow is my favourite colour, and it has indeed brightened my room. I would even go so far as to say it matches the fake sunflowers I also have in my room. I absolutely adore it. And to think of checking out the AHPRA register – very touching. I am quite honoured to be your first Pharmacist. Hopefully I won’t be the last.

I was fortunate enough to have the ADF sponsor me through university. I studied and graduated in 2017, becoming a fully qualified Pharmacist in 2018. I joined the full-time Army in 2019 and here I am now on deployment. I am 25 years old.

I am from North Queensland myself. A little country town to be exact, and currently living in QLD. I think by the time I get home to Australia, it will be hot again – so a year long summer for me. I won’t know how to handle the cold next year when I move to NSW.

The COVID lockdowns have made it hard on families that are separated. Here’s hoping 2022 will see a more ‘normal’ lifestyle for us all.

I was fortunate to leave base a couple of times – though very restricted in where we could go and what we could do (due to COVID). I volunteered myself to be the President of the Welfare Committee for the region, which definitely kept me busy (being busy definitely makes the time fly). Planning events for people who can’t leave the base can be quite challenging though. And I’ve discovered trivia is definitely not one of my strengths.

It’s been quite strange being in an environment where it doesn’t rain, or where the grass looks fake. I can’t wait to stand on grass barefoot again.

In my spare time, I enjoy reading and dancing. I’ve missed it this year, but the last 5 years, I’ve been a Cheerleader for the NRL. The rooms on base are quite small, so I haven’t had too much space to bust out any moves – maybe in hotel quarantine? It will be my first stint in quarantine too! I’ve managed to avoid all of the COVID lockdowns so far – Pharmacists are essential – even in the Defence Force. Although, sometimes a couple of days break is nice.

I’m due to head home soon! Hopefully my parents will be there waiting for me – (after quarantine of course).

Wishing you a safe and prosperous remainder of 2021, and thank you again for the beautiful quilt. I will treasure it for years to come.

Cheers.

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Hi there!

Just a friendly email to say that I received my quilt. I am so thankful. It is beautiful!

Thank you for all of your hard work. I have sent a thank you email to Anne also. Receiving your quilt is one of the biggest highlights of your deployment and I am very grateful.

Cheers

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G’day Deni,

May I start by saying thank you so much for my lovely quilt. It was really overwhelming to receive such a wonderful gift and then explore the thought, meaning and effort you have put into every single element of it. It captures beautifully what I had in mind (and plenty more). I really love the colour scheme as well – every element flows together so beautifully. It is truly a very special gift and one that I will treasure for a long time.

I am just about to finish my deployment to the Middle East Region, where I have been deployed as the Deputy Legal Adviser to the Combined Maritime Forces, which is an organisation of 34 different nations who conduct maritime security operations within 3.2 million square mile area comprising of the Arabian Gulf Red Sea, Gulf of  Oman and parts of the Indian Ocean. This area includes 21 countries. During the deployment, I have provided legal advice and assistance during counter-piracy, counter-narcotics, and counter-weapons smuggling organisation as well as other maritime security operations.

I am originally from NSW, where my wife and daughter (and son on the way) are currently waiting for me. I joined the Navy back in 2000 as a Seaman Officer (now called Maritime Warfare Officer) and received my qualification in 2005. In this role I saw sea service in HMAS Brisbane, Warrambool, Ballarat, Arunta and ANZAC. While I can’t single out any one aspect, as they are all so wonderful, I do particularly like the use of the signal flags for my name and number – I was the communications officer in HMAS Arunta and always think of that fondly, and so the flags bring out those memories and are a special link with my Navy service.

I commenced law studies in 2010 and graduated in 2013, when I was posted to the Fleet Legal Office. I spent a few years in the UK, working in international commercial law firm before returning to the Navy as Legal officer in 2016. Since then, I have worked at Fleet Headquarters, been the Command Legal Officer, been a Military prosecutor and most recently, was the Legal Officer to Commodore and the Fleet Battle staff, which included a deployment through Asia last year, and to which I shall return.

While living in the UK, my wife and I visited the former battlefields and I am in awe of what they did. Sadly, COVID stopped any opportunities of seeing the broader Middle East, while I was here, but I hope to be able to get there again one day, to follow the paths of our heroes who fought in that region.

It has been very challenging deployment, this was the longest I have been away from my daughter and that was a real struggle. I was very fortunate to be working with some wonderful people who helped me to get through, and of course being able to video call home was a huge asset – very different from when I first went to sea and we had an occasional email every few weeks. 

Receiving your gift really does make it easier to get through. I can’t put into words how special it is knowing that people at home appreciate and understand what we do, but please know that it is so.

Thank you so much again, for this special gift. I know things have been hard in Australia. I am even more appreciative of the time, thought, care and effort that you put into this quilt, with everything else going on.

I really do appreciate it and will bring back all the good memories of this deployment and my service into the future.

Thank you and all the best into the future.

Regards.

  ….

Hello Lisa,

Just letting you know that my husband received his quilt today, and was extremely happy.

It was gorgeous.

He will send his quilter a letter to say thank you.

Regards.

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Dear Thelma,

I have recently returned from the Middle East, and was overwhelmed to receive the quilt you have made for me. I am glad you are a GOT fan and can appreciate the intricacies of a very involved storyline.

I love it so much and the skill you have is clearly on display. I am humbled by this gift and the thoughtfulness that has gone into it. It will be treasured.

As the news has no doubt been showing, the evacuation of Middle East, has had many highs and lows with the last chapter shortly to end. The ADF continues to do amazing work in the ME and we have now impacted 1,000s of lives for the better.

Let me thank you again, for the support you provide to the ADF and wish you the very best for whatever you get up to.

Kind Regards.

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Dear Hilary,

I just wanted to send a quick email thanking you for the laundry bag I received from Aussie Hero Quilts. I received the laundry bag designed with pictures of cats, and it is really a major upgrade from my Kapooka basic training laundry bag. 

I also enjoyed reading the letter you left. 

I hope you and your family are doing ok with this pandemic and when things start to get back to normal. Thank you very much for the laundry bag, your work is very much appreciated.

All the best to the family, and hope you have a very Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays.

  ….

Good afternoon Lisa & Bridget,

After some delay in the mail system recently, I finally received my quilt and laundry bag! I love them. Although the Brisbane Lions can’t win the premiership this year, I’m still proud to have their colours brighten up my room!

I very much appreciate what you guys do and for sharing a little part of your story in the accompanying letter. Thank you so much for spending the time to look after us all over here.

Many kind regards 

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G’day Kathy,

I hope this email finds you and your family in good health and spirits.

I love the quilt. Thank you so much for taking the time to put together such an amazing job of finding those crests, particularly the RAAF Armourer’s crest, that thing is hard to google!

I’m home now, and your quilt is certainly brightening up the place.

Thank you again for spoiling me.

Kindest Regards.

  ….

Good Morning,

Thank you very much for the quilt that was delivered to me.

I will treasure this quilt and pass it down to my daughters and grandchildren as an heirloom.

Thanks again for the quilt, and the work you put into it.

With all my thanks and best wishes.

  ….

One of our volunteers had the privilege of recently presenting this quilt as token of appreciation for his 22 years of service to the Australian Army.

LTCOL truly appreciated the gift and will treasure it as a symbol of gratitude of the Australian Community.

Thank you

         Have a safe and happy week friends. Don’t forget to like, comment and share to keep                                                                                      spreading the word.            

Happy Stitching friends! Till next week..