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LETTERS OF APPRECIATION (To our team at Leeuwin Advocacy Services) - February 02- April 02
Each issue of VLSVA newsletter “Logsup” The Australian Navy in Vietnam Veterans’ Welfare Association of Western Australia (Inc.) prints letters of appreciation received from those who have had assistance given by them through the VLSVA Welfare Coordinator.
(To our team at Leeuwin Advocacy Services) – “January to March 2002”.
Advocates: - Kevin Gleeson; China Hammal; Sally Low; Ian McCutcheon; Paddy Peard, Trevor Robbins; John Sanderson; Grattan Shimmen and Philip Steele and special thanks for the volunteers staffing the phone and doing a great job as a “T.O.W.” Mrs Kay Phillips; Mrs Val Gleeson Ian Dunn, Anthony Samiotis , Shirley Yukich and. Alan & Elaine Rodgers. Also we must thank John Exley (due to work commitments); John Jenkins (living too remote); Max Kellow, Greg Smith; Les Aisbett (sick bay) that they are unable to assist at the moment.
We are writing to you to thank you for your help with our compensation claim for our son Philip.Words cannot describe the appreciation that we feel for you and your organisation, and all the assistance you have given us. We have been made to feel very welcome, and a part of your ANVVWA “family” and we thank you very much.We were delighted to have been invited to attend one of your meetings recently, and enjoyed meeting some of your members. Meeting Rear Admiral Philip Kennedy AO RAN was a genuine pleasure also. He seems a very personable man and regaled us with many “Navy stories” that we thoroughly enjoyed. He also went to great lengths to find out a little about us and took great pains to ensure that we were aware of what was about to take place. Every time we take part in a remembrance of our son Philip, the sense of grief and loss asserts itself as it did on this occasion. We were, however, very proud and honoured to have received the white ensign from Admiral Kennedy and the ANVVWA. It will be treasured memento for our family.
Previously we had been dealing direct with the MCRS ourselves, and everyone we spoke with, any questions we had, lead to confusion and no real answers with seemingly no where to go. The pain and sadness we felt, and continue to feel every day was compounded and added to every time a “stuff up” occurred. For example – (MCRS) specifically asked for our current address, and as you can see by the copy of remittance, and envelope, the cheque went to an address that was almost 2 years defunct! It was opened by accident by the resident and only by chance did he remember that a neighbour still has occasional contact with us. Who knows where this could have ended! And this is only the last in a long line of letters addressed on the envelope to us, but inside to our son, after he passed away. Of the RSL telling us that they could and would give us all the help we required, going into detail about what an injustice it was to lose a son, and then in writing a very cold letter (also addressed to our son) telling us we had no case and to go away. Of supposedly intelligent people deliberately misinterpreting information contained within reports that civilians like us understood perfectly!
China, you and your team cut through all that for us and gave us an ending. We always knew it wasn’t going to be a happy ending but it was closure and we appreciate that at least. Although no amount of money can compensate a family for the loss of son, brother and uncle, the speedy end that your bought to Philip’s case has greatly eased our minds. Please accept our enclosed donation to your organisation with recognition of all that you have done for us, and our hopes that it helps someone else is some small way to achieve a victory for what they are entitled to.
We have also enclosed some photos for you. One of the group at the presentation, and a couple of Phillip himself. We don’t have a good one of him in his uniform, as it was something he was still promising to do up until the time of his collapse. The photos of him that are in uniform were taken at his graduation in 1991. The postcard was done by our daughter Wendy, as a thank you card to all the well wishers. The photo on the card is from his Navy ID and would have been taken only months before his collapse. Unfortunately for us he didn’t like his photo taken so they are few and far between.
Our kindest regards to you and the members of your organisation. If there is ever anything we can do to help, now or in the future, please do not hesitate to ask.
Yours truly,
Barry and Kay Appelbee.
Thank you, and your Association for all the advice and assistance in securing my special rate TPI pension. I wish that I had sought your assistance earlier as it would have saved me a lot of worry and grief. Please accept this donation as a token of my appreciation for the marvellous job that you and your team are doing.
Keep up the good work.
John A.
Please accept this small donation as part of me saying thank you to you and your team for all your support and help in obtaining a 50% disability pension. Without this group people like myself would probably have little chance for success thank you all.
Les H.
Thank you for your letter dated 4th December 2001. I am sorry it has taken so long for me to reply but I have recently been transferred to the Pilbara with my recent work promotion and still trying to get my feet on the ground. My claim with Veterans Affairs was successful and I am your associations’ debt. And, I am happy to enclose a cheque to help with your activities. I did not realise that you are a voluntary organization and I would especially once again to thank you and your team for all assistance.
Steve M
Please fine enclosed cheque for $50 being a donation for your Welfare Association. Thank you for your help in my disability pension. As you are probably aware I have been given 30%. Again thank you and keep up the good work as we need guys like you and all your helpers over there.
Ian M.
Please find enclosed donation of $100 to the Association. Thank you for your advice and encouragement that has enabled me to gain a substantial disability pension. Without your help and hard work I am sure I would not have achieved this result.
Phil W.
Please accept enclosed small donation $50 in appreciation
of you and your teams work in assisting me to receive a Gold Card from
Department of Veterans Affairs.
With thanks to you and your organization.
Charles P.
After being too long in rough waters, your guidance and personal support have brought my disability pension claim to a successful result for which I thank you most graciously. Already it is bringing a small stability, which is much appreciated by my family and myself. Please accept donation $400 for the benefit of your worthwhile Association sincere regards.
Yogi R.
Please accept this cheque in appreciation for the help the Association with my claim to DVA gave me. Many thanks again to your team of wonderful helpers.
Colin P.
I have just received notification that the DVA has approved my claim for a disability pension. My wife and I thank you for all of the help and advice you and the band of volunteers at Leeuwin gave us, to enable us to achieve the claim. We would like to express our sincere gratitude for assistance, by donating $100 to continue your efforts to aid others.
Keith V.
Just a short note to thank you for all the hard work you and your staff has done in processing my claim. Your service and support is invaluable, if I had to do it myself I would of given up long ago. Please find enclosed a donation for the association. Thank you once again and I sincerely hope you keep up the good work.
Steve W.
Thank you for your letter of February 12th 2002, requesting donation to the Australian Navy in Vietnam Veteran Welfare Association and War Memorial Fund. I am pleased to enclose donations from Portman Iron Ore Ltd to both organizations. I trust these assist in your support of both organisation’s and I would like to thank you for your ongoing efforts on behalf of the Ballardong Group.
Richard Mehan, General Manager Marketing.
A letter of appreciation for all the help that you and your volunteer colleagues offered to both my wife and myself in November last year. I am presently in Hollywood Clinic undergoing therapy for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, which I am sure, will benefit both my wife and myself. The help that I am receiving here is wonderful and very supportive and I am feeling much more positive for the future than I have been before. I can well recommend this in house programme. There is hope out there for PTSD suffers. I thank you again and please find enclosed a donation to the association.
John B.
Firstly I must apologise for not responding to your letter
at an earlier date. The time that I
spent with you and your fellow volunteers in preparing my claim was trying for
all involved to discuss matters that I had thought were behind me?
Had I attempted to “go it alone” without the assistance I doubt the
results would have been the same. I would once again express my wife’s and my
appreciation for the way in which we received all assistance.
In support of the work that you and the Association is doing and no doubt will
continue to do, please find a small donation towards off setting your costs.
Ralph S.
Thank you very much for the doll’s highchair you sent me for Christmas. Now my dolly can eat with me.
Emma Digweed.
Thanks for all your help over the last year China it is greatly appreciated.
Geoff and Angie Digweed.
I recently rang your office at Leeuwin to cancel my appointment for 21st March as I realize your workload is heavy and as I live in the Safety Bay area I have decided to see the Advocate in this area. However I wish to thank you very much for all the help and guidance I’ve received from you over the past 2½ years and for the progress I have made on my claims. Please find enclosed $100 as a donation to the Vietnam Vets as a token of my appreciation. Hope to see you again in the future.
All the best.
Ron S.
Thank you for all your help over the last year. I am sorry to hear you are not feeling well. I know I have not been very thankful of late, but I thought I would just let know how much you have help me. If it not for you I would still be a man with depression and no one to help me. In short, regardless of what MCRS say you saved my life. Thank you so very much
Che B. (Army Man).
Dear Association
Thank you for all the effort and time spent, in regards to the Welfare scholarship. Words cannot express my gratitude to you all. Thank you for giving me such a wonderful chance in life. It is comforting to know, that from something so tragic, a little good can be found. You are all remarkable people, whom I look forward to knowing more of
Regards,
Elizabeth Baxter.
My brother and I would like to take the time now to thank you both for going to all that trouble in pre-paying our Christmas presents. It was very thoughtful of you to take the time to do so and I’m sure all the other children appreciate the gifts they received. I hope this letter finds you both doing very well and enjoying the New Year. Heres a little something I wrote for you.
We thank you for our gifts
The ones that we received
We owe you a lot of gratitude
And with our gifts, we are pleased
Our Christmas was very Merry
And we hope your’s was as well
Our New Year was even better
And happiness in our home dwells
So once again we thank
Our hearts give you applause
For without you there’d by NO Christmas
Coz you’re our very own Santa Claus.
Sara and Peter Forbes