Happy Tuesday Friends!

Happy New Years Eve!

I hope you all had a fantastic Christmas day with your loved ones.

Another great bunch of messages and photos from near and far, so grab a cuppa or very cool beverage, sit back and relax while you soak up some well-deserved gratitude.

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Good Afternoon and Merry Christmas,

I am the Executive Officer of ADV Cape Solander. Cape Solander is the newest mission capable Cape Class Patrol Boat to enter service and this year we are out on Patrol over the Christmas period.

One of the members of Ships Company reached out to your wonderful company for washing bags for the entire crew. To say these bags brought enjoyment to the whole crew is an understatement. For a majority of the crew this is their first Christmas at sea and for many of our junior members, this was their first Christmas away from their loved ones. These gifts were such a lovely surprise and really made the day for the whole crew. On behalf of my crew thank you so very much for everything you do for us, it doesn’t go unnoticed. I hope you all have a fantastic Christmas and a safe New Year. Please see below a picture of myself with the Chief Bosun sporting an AHQ Washing bag.

Kind regards,

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Hello Robyn S

Thanks heaps for the laundry bags. We passed them out to the crew this morning at our secret Santa whilst on the high seas. Really grateful to you and the team for putting these together.

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Good morning Jacqui D,

Merry Christmas to you and your family.

I have waited until this day to thank you for the quilt. It is without doubt the nicest gift I have ever received. Your eye for detail is evident as is your talent for making the quilts.

We have decided to sell our stone cottage in rural Tasmania and move closer to the ocean. It may be to interstate, perhaps even up your way. It will be our last adventure, and as most ex-service people do, we still enjoy the challenge of new horizons. Wherever we move to, my quilt will be displayed for all to see.

My wife and I wish you, your husband and family well and all the best for the New Year .

Once again thank you for your wonderful gift.

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Hi Hilary P,

Thank you very much for the lovely parcel that I received this week, just in time for Christmas.

It was such an unexpected surprise, but the design with the African Big 5 is just perfect. I have been very fortunate to have seen all of these in my time off – not here in South Sudan, although apparently there are more antelope here than wildebeest in the annual migration, but in neighboring countries when on Safari.

I never tire of seeing animals in their own backyard, so I would certainly encourage you to see Africa and keep it on your wish list! It is a remarkable place.

So thank you for the lovely laundry bag. It is hanging with pride of place next to my washing machine. I won’t claim to have a laundry, but rather a utilities corner of my shipping container, so it lives there ready to be used!

And the microwave bowl cozy – such a brilliant idea that I wished I had known about many years ago! This will certainly be getting a workout on a daily basis!

Thank you again for the lovely gifts, and the Pizza Shapes that may have already been started on!! And thank you for your continuing support, and that from all of the Aussie Hero Quilts team, for those of us overseas on deployment. Your thoughts and gifts bring such happiness to all of the team here in South Sudan.

Take care and thankyou again.

Kind regards

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Good Evening Aussie Hero Quilts,

Thank you to all the volunteers that have supported me and other deployed personnel (OP Aslan South Sudan) throughout the year, your gifted skills continue to provide joy to ADF personnel throughout the year.

Merry Christmas and have a Happy New Year!

Kind Regards,

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Hello Colleen S,Just wanted to thank you for the amazing laundry bag – perfect choice of colours and design! Just in time for Christmas too!I’m one of roughly a dozen Defence members here in the Middle East working in a combined Headquarters as part of a Coalition operation supporting the protection of shipping in the Red Sea.

I have about two months left of my deployment and look forward to getting back to be with family in NSW. I sent a photo of the laundry bag back home and everyone loved it and thought it was an amazing to have people back home look after us like this.Thank you again for the great bag (plus choccies) and all that you do to support us – it’s very much appreciated.All the best for your future creations!Merry ChristmasWarm regards,

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Merry Christmas Jenni S,

Thank you for the quilt and laundry bag. They are amazing.

I have been meaning to send this email for a while but I have been busy with my new daughter who was born pretty much right after I received the package from you.

I now have 2 daughters (4 and newborn)

Bluey is my 4 year old’s favorite TV show. So having something I use at sea that reminds me of her is greatly appreciated.

Thank you so much again.

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Hello Robyn S

Thanks heaps for the laundry bags. We passed them out to the crew this morning at our secret Santa whilst on the high seas. Really grateful to you and the team for putting these together.

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Hi Jan-Maree,

Thank you so much for the wonderful quilt you and all your volunteers have made for us.

As I don’t know personally all the many involved in your very successful and rewarding charity would you thank them and wish them a very Happy Christmas for me.

I am so proud to keep my husband’s memory and achievements alive through my son and my grandson named in his honour.

My son and grandson (pictured below) were so excited to receive the Remembrance Quilt for Christmas.

They asked me to thank you and all the team for their painstaking work no doubt lovingly carried out.

Thank you once again and Merry Christmas.

Kind Regards

Top by Lynn F using blocks made by Dorothy C, quilted and completed by Philomena H with embroidery by Marianne R.

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

Tuesday’s would be so totally boring without them!

🎆🎇🎆🎇🎆🎇🎆🎇🎆🎉🎉🎉🎉