Grati-Tuesday – 26th December 2023

Written by AHQ

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26 December 2023

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Happy Tuesday Friends!

We hope you have all had a wonderful Christmas and are enjoying relaxing on Boxing Day!!! Here are some amazing letters of gratitude for you to read.

Grab a cuppa, sit back and enjoy some well deserved gratitude!

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Hi Bev L,

I was recently deployed to the Solomon Islands, and I received the lovely quilt from you.

First of all, I just wanted to say thank you for the quilt itself. It truly is far beyond anything I could have expected. I am so grateful that you took those disparate thoughts of mine, and turned them into the beautiful piece of art which you have created.

I can tell you that during the deployment (and previous ones I have been on), receiving these quilts is a true highlight for all. Whenever we see that one has arrived, we all gather around while the recipient opens it, then take photos as they proudly display it to a round of applause. Your efforts really do make such an incredible difference to us whilst we are over there, and we deeply appreciate all of your hard work.

Thank you again, not only for the quilt, but for all that you do for our service men and women. I still cannot quite wrap my head around just how perfect for me mine is, and I know it will become a treasured item within my family.

Have a great Christmas and New Year’s and all the best for the future.

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Good Afternoon Jo,

Thank you so much for your beautifully designed quilt I absolutely love it!! It has made me smile and the colours and design is just perfect!

I have been deployed in Butterworth, Malaysia for 3 months doing a security rotation. It was an incredible experience and I really loved being away and immersing myself into a different lifestyle.

Like you mentioned, I am very lucky with the job I do and get to meet and interact with all these important people. They all have their unique quirks and jokes and that’s what makes it so enjoyable! I grew up watching NRL as my dad is an avid broncos lover so never really watched or knew much AFL until I joined the RAAF. I started playing AFL a few years ago when a lady asked to fill in for their team as they were short on numbers and since then I’ve learnt the proper rules

and love playing! This year the club I play for in Canberra had 3 women’s teams!! It was the first ever club to have enough women to fill all three teams every week so like you, I really love how

more women are playing traditionally male dominated games.

I hope you and your family have a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

Thank you again for your time in making the quilt I really love and appreciate it.

Kindest regards,

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Dear Philomena, and Jan Maree,

Thank you so much for my fabulous quilt. I love it.

Especially the flowers, the sun/sun, the ants, the greens, and the book title!

You utterly nailed my request and it's even better than I hoped. The quilt has brightened my room as I recover from surgery and lifted my spirits after physio sessions.

It has also been welcome as something else to talk about with staff and visitors in a boring hospital room and the labels on the back have sparked new conversations .

Philomena , I really appreciate you personally delivering it as well and our friendly chat.

With kindest regards,

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Hi Kirsten O,

Just a quick email to say thank you so much for the quilt you made me.

It is everything I could have asked for and more. I am coming up to 20 years of service next year and this is something I will treasure for many years to come and will be a beautiful memory in the years after I finishing serving (not anytime soon I don’t think!)

My kids also loved it and I hope it will be something that will get passed down through generations to come as a memory and keepsake.

Thank you again for all the time and effort that has gone into making this quilt for me, it is very much appreciated.

Kind Regards

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Dear Deirdre B-L,

I received this package from you, and I haven’t stopped grinning since.

Back in 2018 I received a quilt for my daughter and was amazed by the quality and effort put into it by the incredible ladies of AHQ.

Five years later and once again I’m blown away by what you have produced, and I look forward to showing my son his new quilt.

I chose African animals because he has a love for the Lion King movie, especially the elephants and lions.

Everything on the quilt is perfect, from the placement of the animals to the design of the writing, and the back. I struggle to put into words how much I love it.

I myself was born and raised in Perth. I’m currently posted to Darwin, but I hope to post back to Perth in the near future, to be closer to my parents, who still reside in there to this day.

I hope you have a Merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year.

Once again, Deirdre, I will be forever thankful and appreciative of the gift you have made for my son, and for the letter that accompanied it.

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Good Afternoon Rita J,

THANK YOU so much for the wonderful Aussie Hero Quilt. I am so glad that I was lucky enough to be the recipient of your first quilt – it is stunning.

I have just finished up my job. After a very long 3 years, I received your package through the mail on my last day, brought it home, and had a well-earned rest on the lounge under it. I have a feeling it will be the first of many!

The Aussie Hero Quilt is a wonderful initiative - please know that your support of servicemen and women is truly appreciated.

I wish you a very safe, and enjoyable Christmas and New Year.

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Presentation of an amazing quilt to a very happy recipient!!!

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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,