Grati-Tuesday 15 May 18

Written by AHQ

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15 May 2018

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The moving in process continues… today the backsplash has been fitted, the fire shutters on the outside of the windows, the curtains and blinds and, hopefully, the appliances…

Currently sitting in the new Headquarters, surrounded by boxes, quilts, laundry bags and stuff….. answering emails after spending the morning unpacking boxes and trying to decide where to put things in the kitchen.. easier said that done!!!

For now.. enjoy these great messages.

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Dear Clarissa,

Thank you so much for the amazing laundry bag that you made for me. I am unsure if you know this, but my sneaky best friend actually put the request through so I had no idea it was coming. What an amazing surprise to receive in the mail. Thank you for making my day so vibrant and reminding me just how amazing humanity can be, especially as I serve in a country that is not so fortunate as we are.

I am very grateful that you have utilised your sewing interest to contribute to AHQ – it is such a fantastic venture that really does make a difference to us deployed. I have been in the RAAF going on 11 years and am married to a RAAF pilot. Between the two of us we have completed 6 deployments, so I can say with the utmost confidence that your work is not unappreciated and that it really does make a difference having laundry bags and quilts put together for us.

Your life and family sounds so loving and talented. What a proud mum you must be! Give your daughter a huge thanks for also partaking in the sewing – as a 28 year old female I must admit I have zero talents with a sewing machine, so kudos to you both!

I must dash, but I really wanted to touch base and thank you personally for what you have done for me. I have attached a photo for your viewing pleasure!

Have a great day,

…..

Good afternoon Mary,

I was super excited to get my Hero Quilt yesterday! Thank you very much for your time and effort, I love it. It fits perfectly onto my bed here in my room. The detail in the badge is perfect and the RAEME flag in the middle is just what I wanted.

The chocolate is gone already; I shared it with the guys in my section. Crunchie is my favourite so I made sure I got my share of it before the gannets got stuck in. The lollies I am saving for cards one night this week.

A bit about myself, I joined as 17 yr old Apprentice. I am from Nth Qld and joined to travel and see the world, which is pretty well what I have done for the last 27 yrs. I now live in Canberra with my wife and three kids. I have spent my whole career repairing Army equipment and now am at the top rank and drive a desk in Army Headquarters doing Career Management. I did not think I would like being out of the Maintenance stream but I do like managing Soldiers’ careers, I have 660 in my portfolio. I will go back to the job when finished here.

My job here is in the Head Quarters. I advise the Commander and ensure our equipment is always ready to go. It is a very interesting job and I am tested weekly in making decisions and finding ways to fix things in isolated places. I have only days left of my appointment over here. My family are looking forward to me coming home, my wife has done a great job keeping the three kids alive on her own, she deserves a medal!

Attached is a photo of me and the lovely quilt.

Thank you very much for your support, it means the world to me.

…..

Hi Ruth,

Thank you for your time and efforts with the Laundry bag. It was unexpected and a surprise, as I thought I was only ordering a quilt.

The design is well put together, the colour scheme works well and is of good quality. Something I will cherish for time to come.

It is appreciated there are people like yourself out there who are willing to give their time and show their appreciation for the job we do.

My American counterparts are very jealous – they do not have this kind of support and had nothing but good things to say about the quality and design.

All the best to you and your family (grandkids included) for the rest of 2018. I hope many more soldiers will enjoy your craftsmanship like I will.

Thanks again Ruth, please keep your kind thoughts going as I’m sure a lot more soldiers in the future will appreciate it.

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Hi Janis,

You sent me a lovely package which arrived just the other day. The amount of effort you went to (and trauma you sustained) in order to research my obscure request was outstanding.

I really appreciate you including those clippings from the newspaper too! What an interesting little rabbit hole you went down on my behalf. It’s crazy. I’m going to watch the parody as soon as I get some reliable internet coverage.

The Tim Tams were a real treat from home, as were all the items in there. Thank you so much.

There was no quilt however lol I assume it’s in a second package due to size? I’ll keep you posted once that arrives.

Again, your efforts have been very much appreciated from the bottom of my heart. The kindness and generosity of complete strangers never ceases to amaze me.

Thank you.

And then this arrived…..

Hi Janis,

The quilt arrived. It’s a beauty! Thanks again. I’ve attached a photo as I put it straight on my bed.

Kind regards,

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Hi Sandy,

I recently received a wonderful quilt from you while we were in port. I’d like to thank you and your team for what you all do. It’s been a great point of morale on HMAS Warramunga since we left Sydney in October 2017 for our 9 month deployment. People have been receiving quilts ever since and everyone has greatly anticipated the arrival of their own.

Mine in particular is beautiful and just what I had in mind. I particularly like the personalised name patch which adds a nice touch.

Although we’ve been away from home for months now we’ve had an exciting and successful trip which makes it all worthwhile. We’ve managed to interdict over $1.5billion of narcotics which would have ended up on streets all over the world and in turn, funded terrorist organisations. In the meantime we’ve had the opportunity to see some wonderful countries and cultures that I otherwise never would have, while working alongside 191 fantastic people.

Please thank Mary and Jo for me, what you all do is a wonderful thing and greatly appreciated by us all. Your quilt will be a talking point in my house for years to come.

Thanks kindly,

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Dear Sue,

I am the very happy (extremely happy) receiver of your beautiful hero quilt and other lovely goodies. Your blanket made it to South Sudan at the perfect time that I wasn’t feeling the best from the dust here, So the blanket was the perfect weight to fall asleep under. I grew up in scouting so spent a lot of time camping, and loving to wake up to the sound of birds. This is my 22 year in the Air Force and my 4th deployment. I have a 12 year old daughter.

I do hope this letter finds you well, and thank you for giving so generously, we all deeply appreciate the work the Hero Quilt team do, my Mother – in – Law just recently became one and did a lovely quilt for one of the team here on mission.

Your quilt really does mean the world and I cannot wait to bring it home, and watch a movie whilst we are snuggled under it.

Kindest regards

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Dear Georgina,

I am a serving member of the ADF currently deployed; my wife requested a quilt for me via Aussie Hero.

Firstly, I would like to thank you for one taking the time to craft quilts for serving personnel, I admire the selfless, thoughtful gestures you all do. Second, I truly appreciate the fact that you will/did personalize the quilt in accordance with my wife’s wishes.

I love the quilt, the colour scheme is spot on! and the three notes representing my children is a great touch; I placed the quilt on my bed the afternoon of receiving the package. Also, thank you for the goodies which I will enjoy, but not too many at any one time.

My family and I (3 children – 2 girls and boy) live in Townsville (beautiful one day, hot and humid the next), a great part of Australia. I see in your letter that you had/have twins, we also have twins (boy and girl) 8 years old and our eldest is 15. My mother always says that you never stop worrying about your children which I only truly understood once I had children myself.

My children are all healthy and live in a country that enjoys a wonderful lifestyle without fear of internal or other state conflict; “The lucky country”.

In closing, thank you again for the quilt, best wishes for you and your family.

…..

Hello Clarissa,

Firstly, I want to thank you so very much for making me a Quilt out of the goodness of your heart. I would also like you to thank Norma Ash and any other members of the team, on my behalf, who were involved in the design/making of my Quilt. I was truly overwhelmed at receiving this item which I just received yesterday. It was initially sent to Kabul, Afghanistan, where I spent the first 2 months of my deployment, but was then sent back to AMAB in Dubai, where I am currently based at. I have also just got back from a week in Taji in Iraq, so it was a very welcoming gift upon my return. I can assure you it made my day and will continue to give me ‘colour to my environment’ now and in the future.

I will return to Australia in a few weeks and after a week will be travel to Scotland to visit my Mum for a few weeks.

I’m a Military Police investigator and have done this job for about 32 years – although 22 years was with the British Army. As you can image I have travelled extensively around the world and travel when I can. I love travelling. I am married (for about 25 years now) and am currently based in Brisbane and have been there for about 18 months now, but we live on the Sunshine Coast. Before that, I was posted for 3 years as a Police instructor at Holsworthy Barracks in Sydney. Sorry to say, I prefer Queensland and see myself as a Queenslander 🙂 (or Maroon)

Once again, I wish to thank you (and your team) so very much for taking the time and effort to make the Quilt. It is on my bed as I type this and is indeed a beautiful item and brings a smile to my face. I really do like it.

Kind regards,
…..


Dear Chris,



Let me start by saying a big thank you for the Laundry Bag
and Care package. I am humbled by your generosity and proud to know Australians
like you and your family do so much for our Defence Force and other Communities
back home.  It is great to have your support
whilst we are so far away from home and I am extremely proud to wear our flag
and know that there are people like you and your family dedicating a lot of
your time and effort to others.



As you probably know, I am currently serving on a Coalition


Headquarters in Baghdad and our small team is made up of soldiers from seven
different nations, so I made sure to share the goodies and in doing so shared
your good will and put smiles on many faces. My family lives in Darwin, which
is home for us after moving around Australia with the Army. My wife and I
celebrated our 20th Wedding Anniversary this year and we have a 17 yr old son
and 13 yr old daughter who keep us on our toes (always). We all like our
motorsport and are all  avid Holden fans
but I have no doubt rivalries will develop as children leave home to start their
own families.



I cannot thank you enough for all your endeavours  in supporting people like me and all the
other troops that have received your Laundry Bags, Quilts and goodies. By the
way, my children often tell me I am un-Australian because I don't like Vegemite
so I think it was quite fitting for you to make me a very Australian Laundry
Bag - thanks.



Kind regards


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Dear Mary,

Please receive my warmest regards and gratitude for that
amazing work of art you sent me. I was
so taken by the detail and thought that has gone into making this amazing gift.
I can not thank you enough.

My wife and I have 3 children (2 boys and one girl). My

oldest is at University and the other two are in High School and Primary
respectively. This is my sixth time away from home on Deployed Operations. This
is my third time to this area of the world. This has meant a long time away
from my family over the years. I am very lucky that my wife is truly a Defence
wife and knows all the ins-and -outs of managing our home on her own and
helping other defence wives who are experiencing, for the first time, the
demands of deployed spouses. We are currently posted to Canberra

but do not know where we will be next year as I am due for a
posting, "again".

I have been with the RAAF for over 22 years, so most of my
professional life. I enjoy working in Defence and I am very proud of being part
of the ANZAC tradition.

I will write to you through the mail (it takes about 5-6 weeks to get to Australia
from this location) but I wanted to acknowledge as soon as possible your amazing

quilt! Wow, you are certainly very skilled.

Once again, thank you so much from the bottom of my heart.
The last couple of weeks have been a bit challenging. This special gift came at the right time.

Please take care of yourself and please pass on my kindest
regards to your family.

Respectfully,

.....

Hi Ellen,

I want to say thank you so much for the beautiful quilt you
sent me. The time an effort you went to is really appreciated. I love the blues it very calming

and at the same time brings some brightness and colour in a world that is full of beige
over here. While the middle east is a stunning place in a harsh way it really
lacks colour and life. Everything is just a different shade of beige. Your
quilt will definitely be cherished.

This is my 3rd deployment in my 23 yr career (East Timor
2001, Iraq 2005) and the support from back home always amazes me. This is my first

deployment as a Mother and I'm finding it difficult being away form my two daughters

aged 6 and 8 yrs old but I know this sacrifice is one of the many required of service
personnel. Support from the Australian community back home from the many organisations

such as Aussie Hero Quilts always helps lift moral and that our effort over here

are not going unnoticed.

Again I really appreciate the quilt.

Thank you so much.

Kind regards,

.....

Good Evening Sandy,

Just writing to say a big thank you to the Team in Coffs
Harbour for my Aussie hero quilt! I received it

this week in Dubai. I am a Marine
Technician ( Electrician ) currently deployed on-board HMAS Warramunga on
Operation Manitou in the Middle East and have been for the past 7.5 months.

I live in the Northern Suburbs of Sydney just on the other
side of the harbour bridge with my Partner who is a nurse and very
much looking forward to me coming home. The
effort that has gone into this quilt Is amazing. I can’t thank you guys enough for
the work that is done for deployed personnel to receive something this special
from home.

It really does make a difference, making the 9 months away
just that little bit easier.

Please pass my regards on to the rest of the team involved
with my quilt, Marj H and Lynne V.

Thank you again !

.....

Hi Ruth,

I just received the laundry bag you made for me, with some
sheep and a border collie on it. Thank you so much for making it, I really do
appreciate the time and effort you have gone to in making it. I grew up on a
sheep farm in Western NSW, and now I have a pet border collie

called Jed, so the bag is perfect for me!

I am currently deployed on Operation Okra with the E-7A Wedgetail.
We fly missions to coordinate the airspace in the fight against D’aesh in
Iraq.I hope you and your family are all in good health and that your cousin’s
daughter is still enjoying her time in the ADF. Once again, thankyou for this
gift, it will be treasured for many years to come! I might even have to not use
it and send it straight to the pool room for display!

Yours sincerely,

.....

Till next time.... keep spreading the word and happy stitching.

Jan-Maree xxx

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,