Typically, the conversation is a little light Wednesday nights inside the Quilter’s Workshop on Pioneer Way.

That’s the night a group of ladies, the “regulars,” gather inside Debra Staley’s shop to work on their latest projects, trade sewing secrets and swap tips on the latest quilt trends and patterns.

Most nights the conversations can be about everything from Staley’s take on NASCAR to what juicy gossip is floating about town.

But last month, things took a serious turn and the stitching took a more proactive approach inside that circle of quilters and friends.

The women dove into their fabric stashes at home, pulled out every last scrap of pink fabric they had and began quilting pink for a cause.

“We did all of this for her. This is for Sandi,” said Jessie Van Lundon

Sandi Schrimscher, 62, a mother of three, moved to Washington in February to be close to her daughter, Carole Stune, who lives in Anacortes and manages the Oak Harbor Applebees.

She also came to the area to receive chemotherapy from Island Hospital after being diagnosed last year with breast cancer. She underwent a mastectomy and is now 10 weeks into 24 weeks of treatment.

Soon after arriving she found the quilt group and is now just “one of the girls.” The woman’s positive attitude and outlook on life are evident, even when she arrives at the quilting circle last week after receiving a chemotherapy treatment.

After bouncing around, talking to the other women, checking out the finished quilts, Schrimscher announces, “OK, I’m heading home, I’ve had enough for today.”

Her energy, zest for life, and desire to beat cancer are contagious.

The women created eight quilts that will be donated to the Quilt Pink auction to be held online in March benefitting the Susan G. Komen Foundation.

The Susan G. Komen Foundation was established in 1982 to help eradicate breast cancer as a life-threatening disease. As a global leader in the fight against breast cancer, the foundation supports innovative breast cancer research and grants, as well as educational, scientific and community outreach programs around the world.

A ninth quilt created by the women will be auctioned off at the North Whidbey Relay for Life next June.

They began work Sept. 30, the official Quilt Pink Day sponsored by “Better Homes and Gardens” and “American Patchwork and Quilting.” The quilts will remain on display at the Pioneer Way quilt shop through the end of October, which is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

In making quilts for the Quilt Pink project the women not only created works of art, but shared stories of how breast cancer has affected them.

The mother of Marietta Murcray’s dear friend died of breast cancer. Murcray’s father had six different kinds of cancer in his lifetime.

She’s been quilting for 30 years and charitable causes are often the recipients of her work so the Quilt Pink project was

near and dear to her heart.

“Women have to take care of our own,” she said. “We have to know what to do and get breast cancer checks.”

Van Lundon worked on a quilt Staley dubbed “diamonds in the rough.”

Van Lundon quilted pink in honor of her friend, Lydia Brown, a cancer survivor.

Her eyes welled as she talked of the impact cancer has had on her life.

“It can happen to anyone, well all need to be aware,” she said.

As she looked over her quilt she smiled. She turned, pointing across the room at Schrimscher.

“She’s such a great lady and an inspiration to us all,” she said.

Sandy returns the kind words, saying, They are just a wonderful bunch of people. They are family.”

Schrimscher said it was her own proactivity that is allowing her to beat cancer. She found her lump right away since she’d been diligent with self-exams and going for her annual mammograms. Her sister, Cynthia, died of lung cancer at the age of 40.

“Hardest thing has been admitting to myself that I had it,” Schrimscher said.

And she’s never been more determined.

“I’m going to beat this,” she says with a defiant, almost non-chalant tone. “I’m going to be a survivor.”

She now wears a pink ribbon pin with pride.

‘It changes everything, it makes you want to live life to the fullest,” she said. “Right now, it’s just great to be alive.”

near and dear to her heart.

“Women have to take care of our own,” she said. “We have to know what to do and get breast cancer checks.”

Jessie Van Lundon worked on a quilt Staley dubbed “diamonds in the rough.”

Van Lundon quilted pink in honor of her friend, Lydia Brown, a cancer survivor.

Her eyes welled with tears as she talked of the impact cancer has had on her life.

“It can happen to anyone, we all need to be aware,” she said.

As she looked over her quilt she smiled. She turned, pointing across the room at Schrimscher.

“She’s such a great lady and an inspiration to us all,” she said.

Sandi returns the kind words, saying, “They are just a wonderful bunch of people. They are family.”

Schrimscher said it was her own proactivity that is allowing her to beat cancer. She found her lump right away since she’d been diligent with self-exams and going for her annual mammograms. Her sister, Cynthia, died of lung cancer at the age of 40.

“Hardest thing has been admitting to myself that I had it,” Schrimscher said.

And she’s never been more determined.

“I’m going to beat this,” she says with a defiant, almost non-chalant tone. “I’m going to be a survivor.”

She now wears a pink ribbon pin with pride.

“It changes everything, it makes you want to live life to the fullest,” she said. “Right now, it’s just great to be alive.”