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Teen knits to comfort hospice patients

UNION COUNTY, N.C. — A Union County teenager found a unique way to help people struggling with cancer and other life-threatening illnesses.

Ashlin Austin isn't your typical 15-year-old. She loves to knit, hats and scarves are her specialties.

[LINK: Union County, Anson County Hospice Care]

“Once you start, it's kind of fun to see what the final product's going to be like,” Austin said.

For nearly a year now, those final products have been going to Hospice of Union County where Austin's mother, Cheryl, is on the board.

Eventually, development manager Lyndsey Glover learned about Austin's hobby.

“I just kind of mentioned that, maybe, Ashlin would want to do that, so that we had some hats and some scarves to sell as part of the fundraiser for us at the Southern Christmas Show,” Glover said.

The nonprofit was planning a booth for last November's Southern Christmas Show and they needed items to sell, so Austin stepped up.

“Cheryl told me she was knitting in the front seat, every time, to and from school, on the way to basketball practice,” Glover said.

Austin created 150 items, which raised more than $1,000 for the hospice, which displays her items for sale. That money goes to the hospice as well for programs and services.

Austin gets emotional talking about a breast cancer patient who received one of her hats.

“Things that are little to you matter to other people,” Austin said.

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