Happy Wednesday Friends!

A wonderful collection of gratitude letters.

These will really make it clear that receiving a gift from a stranger is so powerful.

So, grab a nice warm cuppa or cold drink (depending on where you live!), sit back and relax while you soak up some well-deserved gratitude!

***

Good afternoon Jan-Maree!!

I just wanted to write and say thanks for all the work you have done making laundry bags and ANZAC cookies for us.

It is great to see people trying to decide what bag they want and the camaraderie it brings leaves everyone with a smile on their face.

I chose this bag because it was light and bright and gave that beach feeling which to me means great weather, fun times and relaxation.

Thank you for the work you and team do because it is greatly appreciated by all us.

Kind regards,

***

Hi Jan-Maree,

I was stunned, surprised and am overwhelmingly grateful for the totally unexpected gift of this beautiful quilt. (Made by Bobbie S and the Mystery BOMers, quilted by Philomena Emb by Joan)

I have no idea why I should be eligible for this fantastic example of quality Australian crafted and hand made comfort item. It is a form of recognition that means so much to me and is so very special; I think there must be thousands of other former soldiers who deserve this more than myself. There is a mystery as to howI was nominated for this special honour, maybe it will become clear in the future.

In the meantime I cannot thank you enough for the work you have done to bring together the skilled and dedicated people to create these items. I will always value it and hand it down through my family, and will promote your organisation and its role whenever the opportunity arises.Until this gift was received by me, I had no idea of the emotional connection it could bring about.

Thank you once again. In deep gratitude

Quilt by Bobbie S & Mystery BoMers,Quilted by Philomena H, Embroiders by Joan B

***

Good evening Ellen N,

I just received my hero quilt today!

I wanted to reach out and say thank you! It’s such a beautiful piece of art, you’ve done well. Sounds like even though you are retired, you are extremely busy so thank you for taking the time to make my day a little brighter.

Your family sounds amazing! And very busy like yourself.

I am back in Australia now post my deployment so I will take it to show my mother when I get to visit her again. I am also sure she will think it’s the best thing since sliced bread when she sees it too.

Thank you again!vKind regards,

***

Hello Clarissa L,

I wanted to write to thank you for the beautiful laundry bag I received a little while again on our Chaplain’s Course at the Australian Defence Force Chaplains College in Canberra.

Firstly I would like to thank you for your lovely letter.I grew up in Sydney and know your area well.

I have served in the ADF for over 20 years having previously served as a Musician in the RAAF Band before retraining in Ministry and finally Army Chaplaincy. In 2019 I was fortunate to receive a Aussie Hero quilt whilst I was deployed in the Middle East. It was a very challenging and difficult deployment. Receiving an Aussie Hero Quilt gave me a real boost.

I have felt exactly the same receiving your beautiful laundry bag. I love every bit of it. The care and attention to detail is so clear. It is lined with beautiful flowers, the poppies of memory, the Australian Army and new Army Chaplain Emblem (which has not yet been seen in thread), the kind words, John 3:16 and the bugler mean so much to me. Seeing that bugler brought back many memories.

May you continue to bring hope and joy to ADF Veterans and Service men and women in Australian and around the world. Your work and contribution is deeply valued,

Kind Regards,

***

Good Morning Angela T,

Thank you for the laundry bag!Excellent choice of footy team, I was very happy to see a Hawks bag, I can’t find Hawks gear even in NSW, let alone in the Middle East.

***

Dear Janice B,

Thank you very much for the beautiful quilt you made for me through Aussie Hero Quilts and for taking the time to write such a thoughtful and personal letter.

I was genuinely touched by the care and consideration you put into the design. The dolphins representing HMAS Onslow, the black cats for Brisbane and the Panthers colours all have special meaning to me and reflect different parts of my Navy service and life outside Defence. It was obvious that a great deal of thought, skill and generosity went into creating it.

Reading about your family, travels and your connection to the Navy made receiving the quilt even more meaningful. It is wonderful to know that people across Australia continue to support serving and former members in such a personal way.

The mission of Aussie Hero Quilts to recognise service and show that Australians care about the people behind the uniform is something that resonates deeply with me. After many years of service, receiving your quilt is a reminder that our contribution and sacrifices made by our families are remembered and appreciated.

Please pass on my thanks to everyone involved with Aussie Hero Quilts and accept my sincere gratitude for your generosity and support of the veteran community.

Thank you again for your kindness and for creating something that I will treasure for many years to come.

Kind regards,

***

Dear Jenny R,

Thank you so much for making the laundry bag for me! I can imagine how long it must have taken to make. From the bottom of my heart thank you for taking the time to write this letter, I will admit I got teary reading it haha. For people that know me know that I am not the best when it comes to grammar and punctuation but everything I do and say I mean from my heart.

It is people like you and your husband is why I wear the uniform with pride. To help and serve members of this great country in which we are lucky to call home. A beautiful part of being in the Army is all the stories that we are lucky to hear during our time wearing the green, reflecting and respecting the members such as your great grandfather, grandfather and your uncles who made the ultimate sacrifice in defending this great country. I was fortunately lucky to be overseas for Memorial Day and it was an emotional day as I was able to stand in the same area as members from the ANAZCS made the ultimate sacrifice.

Thank you for sharing on how you came about to sew for AHQ seems like you too have done some traveling around this great country.

My little family call Brisbane home. I do miss not being able to see them regularly but they understand and I call them every day. I did all my schooling there and tried different jobs until I joined the Army. I joined later on than most people but without a doubt, it has been the best experience of my life. I have been very fortunate to have lived and seen most of Australia with this job and again your letter made me appreciative of why I wear the uniform with pride and continue to serve for this great country.

Jenny thank you again from the bottom of my heart,

Sincerely,

***

Evening Jenny D,

I have been in for almost 12 years and I have always missed out on getting a laundry bag, I ended up with a groovy looking 80’s pattern, it made me very happy to finally receive one.

I also enjoyed your note, brought a smile to my face. Hope you and the garage girls are doing well.

***

Hi Ellen N,

Thank you very much for your letter and the quilt you have made. I have seen these around from 2015 and have been envious of the lucky people who have one.

I am a sailor of the Royal Australian Navy and the quilt you made depicts life under the ocean, which is very much alike to my role as a submariner.

I have been in the RAN for 15 years now and conducted multiple deployments, serving on all of the Collins Class Submarines at one point or another. I live in Perth, where the submarines are based.

My family, similar to yours, has served throughout. Both parents and grandfather are ex-Army with my cousin currently still serving (not sure how I ended up Navy now that I read that). My wife is also served in the Navy, completing 11 years now.

Thank you again

***

Dear Sonia J,

I hope this letter finds you and your family well.

I wanted to sincerely thank you for the beautiful laundry bag you made and the heartfelt letter that accompanied it. Your kindness and generosity genuinely touched me, and I can’t thank you enough.

Reading your letter reminded me that, even when we’re away from home for long periods, there are people across Australia who genuinely care about those of us serving in the Defence Force. That alone means more than you probably realise.

This year marks over eleven years of sea service out of the last twelve and a bit years of my career. Like many sailors, that has meant long deployments, countless exercises, months away from family and friends, and simply getting on with the job because it’s what we do. Receiving your gift was a wonderful reminder that those sacrifices are seen and appreciated.

What resonated with me most was your hope that the laundry bag would remind its recipient that “there are people out there who really care about what you are doing.” I want you to know that your message achieved exactly that. Your kindness genuinely brightened my day and reminded me how fortunate we are to have such incredible support from the Australian community.

Please also pass on my thanks to your son. It’s wonderful that his own experience inspired you to make these bags for other sailors. I’m incredibly grateful to have received one, and it will certainly be put to good use on many deployments to come. Please wish him fair winds and following seas from one sailor to another.

Thank you again—not only for the laundry bag, but for the time, care, and generosity you have shown to those who serve. Your gift will travel with me for many years, and every time I use it, I’ll be reminded of your family’s kindness and support.

With sincere gratitude and my very best wishes to you and your family,

***

Cheers Catherine D

Until next week keep your letters, emails and photos coming in. Wednesdays would be so totally boring without them!

🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻