Happy Tuesday Friends! 

                                        Hope you are having a safe week. I’m still working from home, and it’s still a little crazy, catching up after a few days off last week but no complaints here, enjoying the pockets of sunshine coming through 🙂 

                                              Enough from me, hope you enjoy the read!

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Good Evening Wendy and Lynn,

Thank you for taking the time to design and create a personalised quilt just for me. I am honoured and grateful for all you have done and continue to do so for serving members. I love my quilt. It is even better than I imagined. Thank you.

It was also very nice of you to share some personal details. 

I hope you and your families remain safe with the latest COVID-19 outbreaks. I hear being reported throughout Australia. Please give my thanks to everyone who may have assisted, including your families for allowing them to share the time I took you away to assemble my wonderful quilt.

The ANZAC theme is my favourite. I will never forget my first Dawn Service, at the shrine of Remembrance in Victoria, and how truly patriotic I felt from that day onwards and for the ultimate sacrifice all those before me have made.

A little about myself. I am originally from Victoria, and now living in South Australia. I am a five minute walk from the beach which keeps me happy and healthy. My family only extends to my mum and a younger sister – oh and a cute little niece. 

I am an Officer in the RAAF and I have recently completed 15 years of service. This is my fourth overseas deployment, totaling almost 2 years. You might find it delighting to know that today marks the first time ever I have received a package from anyone. Two in fact, one from you, and one from mum. Which makes today so much more special. They don’t call it Christmas in July for nothing.

Thanks again and all the best.

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Good Morning Toni,

I was the lucky person who received the laundry bag that you hand crafted. Can I start by saying a big thank you. For taking the time to make this for myself. 

I really enjoyed reading your letter and getting to know you through what you have shared with myself. I appreciate all the kind words. 

Aussie Hero Quilts is such a great organisation that supports troops like myself, when overseas away form home. It’s morale boosting which is very important when you are so far away from home.

Let me introduce myself a little. I am 26. I have now been in the Army for just over 6 years serving with Logistics based trade. It’s nothing short of exciting / busy life in the Army. I have enjoyed every adventure I have gone on. My biggest accomplishment to date was being able to deploy and serve my country. I had such a great experience even though some parts were very challenging. I met a lot of new friends and achieved things I never thought I would.

The laundry bag you have made will stay close to me forever, knowing that I received it from such a lovely lady who took the time to think about a stranger overseas that they have never met. Honestly, thank you for all the kind work you do for Aussie Diggers. Your work does not go unnoticed. I am sorry about the late reply on the email.

Take care and stay safe.

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Dear Jan-Maree and friends,

We, HMAS Ballarat, have just received our first batch of laundry bags. The crew is very excited and grateful. It took less than a few minutes for the first shipment to be grabbed up by Ship’s company, and they are eagerly awaiting the next batch.

Thank you for all you do for us, it is appreciated more than you might realise.

Kindest Regards.

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Hello Chris,

I am writing in response to receiving the awesome laundry bag you made. 

I am 30 years old from Queensland, and I am a vehicle mechanic in the Army. 

I have been serving since 2013. I am currently in Asia away for a few months. I have a lovely fiance, one older brother living in Tasmania and my parents that live in South Australia. No kids yet.

I grew up on the beach and always loved swimming, and running. Through my teenage years, I also played water polo representing Queensland in their state side. I follow the NRL and support the Penrith Panthers, lucky for me they have been playing well over the last 2 years.

I see you wrote your letter in 2019, right before COVID hit. I greatly appreciate the work and effort you have done for your community and the ADF as a whole. It is people like you that put a smile on the faces of people like me. So I thank you, for the new laundry bag and I will put it to use!

Kind Regards.

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Hello Clarissa,

I am just replying in regards to the awesome laundry bag I just received whilst settling in over here in Malaysia. It’s the little things that mean a lot to me and it was quite a pleasant surprise when we were given them.

I’ve been in 6RAR for 2 years no and am enjoying learning new things everyday. 

Thank you so much for your time and effort into these laundry bags. My mates and I really appreciate the work.

Cheers.

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Hello Judy,

Just wanted to send you an email to say thanks for the laundry bag, I have received from you I chose the one with the vintage style patches on them. I thought the aeroplane jelly patch was awesome.

Since I have used my initial laundry bag from Kapooka I was in desperate need for a new one. So your bag could not have come at a better time. I am sure it will serve me many years to come as it of much better quality build. I am currently in Asia, so it was nice to get a gift from Australia.

Thanks again.

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Hi Jenny,

I have received a lovely laundry bag made by you! I am a combat engineer currently in Asia on  Rifle Company Butterworth. I am originally from New South Wales but am posted to Queensland. 

I have a partner, a dog and a cat. 

Once again, thank you for the laundry bag. I appreciate the effort you have gone to.

Thank you

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Hello Hilary,

I am currently in Asia as part of the ADF Army and have gotten your laundry bag. It definitely will help me out a lot now and in the future. I now have a sweet laundry bag different to others. 

I appreciate the effort you have gone to in making this.

Again, appreciate the laundry bag, and it’ll definitely be something I will continue to use.

All the best.

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Good Morning Jenny,

I am a combat engineer in the Army and have been for 2 years. 

This is my first overseas deployment with work and I am very thankful for the laundry bag. It’s definitely the coolest out of them all.

Regards.

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Dear Kate,

Firstly, I hope this email finds you well and safe!

Secondly, WOW! What an amazing quilt I have just received in the mail. It is absolutely fantastic and gave me goose bumps when I opened it up!

Reality absolutely exceeded expectations as I was unsure how anyone would be able to make anything close to what I was asking for, and I nearly changed the thought of the pattern because I imagined it nearly impossible and you have EXCELLED! Thank you, a thousand times – it is beautiful. The colours are amazing and the embroidering of the Coat of Arms is beautifully detailed. I will treasure it for a very, very long time.

I found your letter to be of utmost interest. I too live in Queensland.

At the moment, I am posted to Queensland but I was born in Tasmania. Thanks to the Army I have travelled and lived all over Australia. I don’t really know where to call ‘home’ yet. My husband, who is also a serving member, and I plan to do a lap of Australia in a caravan in 2024 with the intent to find a place to live!! So it could be anywhere, (most likely QLD though as the weather and people are perfect)!

We posted from ACT to QLD in 2016 and camped all along the east coast until we hit our destination. 

A little about where I am deployed. I have done a bit of travelling in my time, and I must say that South Africa has to be a very unique place of it’s own. Very unpredictable, and ungoverned is probably a few words I would use to describe it. The local population are very proud people, but very poor. But they do not know of any other life and what they have is normal to them. Regardless of it, they do not have food or roof over their head – they are still full of self-pride and seem happy. I have realised I do not need a lot to live on and I also appreciate every little thing I have.

I have the best job here in the United Nations mission. A part of my job is to conduct the induction training for every person who joins the mission that varies from 172 different countries. It is extremely rewarding and learning about the different cultures is fascinating. I have met people from everywhere! I will have a lot of treasures to take away with me including my prized quilt!

My sincere gratitude to you. Your generosity is second to none. As I mentioned, the quilt, will be an absolute treasure and will remind me of the memories of Africa. 

I wish you all the health and happiness.

Take care and Kind Regards.

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Hello Clarissa,

I received my laundry bag today, and I could not believe me eyes. It is too good to use as a laundry bag so it has become a piece of art to brighten up my African home. Your letter was really great to read. I feel like we are in this together. 

I have three grown up boys. I have to say it made me feel very proud of all of ‘our’ children. 

There are so many layers of human kindness in what you do, far beyond making a laundry bag. I will treasure it forever.

Thank you

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Good Evening AHQ,

This morning my husband and I had the pleasure of presenting an AHQ quilt to retired LCDR. He was very grateful and humbled. 

Thank you again for your hard work.

Warmest Regards.

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Hi Marilyn,

Thank you so much for the quilt. It was quite unexpected.

It has taken prime place amongst my Military display items in my house, so not only can I enjoy it but my friends and family as well.

I do love getting out and about in the outdoors, camping, fishing and four wheel driving and I grew up in NSW. I lived on a farm until I was 10 years old. I certainly was not a fan of big cities. 

I enlisted in the Army in 1992, straight out of high school and since then have moved around a lot with postings to various units in NSW, Vic and NT. In this time, I have also deployed overseas to Asia and the Middle East.

I am currently posted to the School of Infantry. I am surrounded by plenty of bushland, rivers and not from the salt water and fishing spots. I recently got my next posting in NSW for next year, which will also avail me of the same sort of outdoors just colder. So your quilt will probably get used quite a bit during winter.

I do very much like the design of your quilt and am very thankful for the time and effort you put into it.

Kind Regards.

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Hi Bridget,

I just got the lovely quilt and it is beyond amazing!

I am a chef in the Royal Australian Navy, I have currently been serving for 14 years this year. I have a wife and two lovely little boy dogs – a Pug and Frug (French Bulldog x Pug).

 My wife’s favourite colour is purple, so I got the idea that I can think of them the most when I am away every time I look at the quilt.

I left year 11 at the age of 17 to join the Navy, to get my trade as a Chef and haven’t looked back since. 

I hope the pandemic hasn’t affected you and your family too much!

Thank you so much again, for the quilt, I love it!

Regards.

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Good Morning Clarissa,

Firstly, It has been a bit of a whirlwind adjusting to life back in NSW!

Secondly, thank you SO much for the absolutely beautiful quilt and laundry bag you made! I really do love it. It was so nice coming home and being able to open up my parcel.

I love that you have all formed this group for such an awesome reason and it allows not only you to connect with one another but also us to connect with you too. It’s a really special feeling knowing that someone has gone out of their way and thought of you during a time where you are isolated from friends and family and done something nice for you.

I am currently serving as an administration clerk. I am located in NSW. I studied sports science at Uni prior to enlisting in the Army. 

My housemate and I have recently started to acquire a few house plants, and we have been doing a lot of research into how to care for those. So if you have any tips, please send them through! I would love to have some chicken and pets one day, when I have some more land, but I currently live in an apartment and that proves very difficult for animals. So my dog lives back in South Australia with my dad, who treats him like his very best friend. Its nice to know for me that dad has company all day with my dog. I also did about 6 years volunteer work with Guide Dogs SA, during that time, I raised 5 puppies, and short term boarded a few more. It was a very rewarding experience, even though I now own a few things that have several little teeth marks in them. A souvenir as such!

Thank you once again, for the beautiful quilt. Please pass on my thanks to everyone in your group. It is truly a blessing to have the support and care of Australians such as yourselves during our time served in the Military. 

It really does mean the world to me and makes me proud of the work I do, and proud to be a part of this beautiful country!

Thank you

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This photo was received by Jan-Maree showing one of Jacqui D’s recipients with a big smile and his beautiful quilt.

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      Hope you have enjoyed each and every submission this week. It’s always a great distraction from my day job to be able to stop and take a moment to realise just how lucky we are to be apart of something that really does make a difference.