Thank You Emails- Part 2.

More thank yous have arrived for the beautiful quilts we've donated and it's lovely to hear how much they are appreciated.
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Dear Jan,

I have just chosen your quilt that you made earlier in the year and I would like to say thank you for it. It is so beautifully made . Having tried quilting and deciding the dog would prefer it as a pillow I know what work went into it. Thank you again for thinking of this community and I will enjoy the quilt for many years to come. Helen

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Hello Jan,
I received your beautiful quilt last week from Kaye Nankervis, who came to see me re bushfire assistance. 
Your quilt has pride of place on our bed, knowing that you have taken the time and pride in making something that will give my husband and myself comfort.
We lost all our farm, all fences, hay, pasture 90 head of stock( amazingly some survived), our hut, tractor, 4 wheel motor bike, cattle & sheep yards& most of our farm equipment.
Our home is nearby, but on separate site and although we had fire coming from 3 directions, my husband & son saved our house & shearing shed. 
My husband had 5 coronary bypasses 3 years ago, so all I prayed for is that my husband would be safe and he was.
I lost my Mum in November after my two sisters had just completed chemo for breast cancer & and now we all are learning to live with the threat of the corona virus. 
So from all of this, I have learnt humility and not only do I still have my darling husband, but I have witnessed such kindness. 
Thank you Jan, for all your time, effort and expense and care in making my quilt. You are so kind and I think of you every night I snuggle down safe & warm in my own home And under your quilt. I am so blessed.
Thank you,
Gayle L.

Gayle's quilt was donated by Patchwork and Quilters of Vic (P's and Q's).

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I would like to say a very big heartfelt Thankyou to Dorothy Ramage(Vic) for the beautiful Quilt I have received. We are dairy farmers in the Corryong area. We lost 200acres, haysheds but no animals in the January fires. Many of our neighbouring farms at Tintaldra lost many stock. There are 50 of our neighbours cattle buried on our farm . It was a horrific time. I’m so proud of our son Brad at 19y, he helped save houses and drove bulldozers all around our district during the fires. And my husband also helped friends in Cudgewa save their homes. We had no power at our dairy farm in Biggara for 24 days.
I chose this quilt. As a seamstress and try hard quilter I really appreciate and acknowledge the hours in making a quilt. 
Thankyou so very much, it’s the most generous precious gift I have ever received. 
 Thankyou 
Maree C.
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Dear Dorothy Ramage,

Yesterday the staff at Corryong College were surprised by the most generous act I have every experienced. We were invited into one of the classrooms to pick a quilt. I am a fan of quilts and spent a long time admiring them all. It is my ultimate candy store.

I chose a quilt made by you and wanted to thank you for you generosity and kindness you have shown by participating in the quilts for bush fires project. It is a quilt with blue, white and grey stars. I'm a Math and Science teacher and love visual patterns, the play of light and dark that you have created.

This year has been an emotional roller coaster and the toughest in my career of 20 years. When the fires first hit I thought myself lucky our house and friends we safe. I didn't think of myself as victim and went about supporting the farmers and their children who were hard hit. As a teacher, I was told what to expect from students and how to support them. Six months on, I have found it very stressful . I'm shocked by the total destruction of the environment and waterways. I'm a water watch volunteer and the reason I live here is to enjoy this unique environment. The rivers have dead fish and the forests are gone. I  spent the first three months after the fires testing water weekly to help  understand how  the rivers were coping after the fires. My students are struggling and often confide in their worries but can also be angry or spaced out. I try to be professional and offer them support. I attended a funeral of a past student who took his own life, as a teacher to support the students and as a friend of the family. Covid has added another level of worry as we try to support students through the internet.

When we were offered the quilts I didn't think I deserved one,  I wasn't a victim. Some of the other staff explained that we are. The role of the teacher puts us in the center of the communities problems and I realized all the stresses I was feeling is taking an emotional toll on the school. I was having a bad day yesterday. I felt like I was walking through mud and that this is never ending.

So I humbly thank you for your quilt and will always appreciate your kindness.  It has been very much admired by my children and we have all cuddled up in it last night. I think it is now the story book quilt. It offers a lot of comfort and I explained to my children why it was special.

With lots of love to you 

Vicki K.

Many thanks to all of you who have donated in so many ways. You've made a difference in people's lives as well as mine. XX
Hugs, Jan Mac