FREEMANS Reach man David Lindon has a charitable tale involving nudity, swimming, harness racing and Charlie Teo.
Lindon has begun raising money for the Charlie Teo Foundation, started by the brain surgeon, and is using his lifelong hobby as a harness racer to do so.
The foundation raises money for brain cancer research. Lindon lost a close friend, Greg Sarina, to brain cancer, which he said was his motivation to get involved with the charity.
Lindon’s association with the charity began in 2017, when Lindon’s daughter Stacey, suggested that he take part in the Sydney Skinny, which is associated with the foundation..
The Sydney Skinny describes its event as being “...about personally challenging yourself to step ever-so-slightly outside your comfort zone - in a way that is emancipating. That strips life back to its bare essentials. That forces you to accept your real self. That momentarily frees you from the stifling shackles modern society so often puts on us. And importantly encourages you to break free from your own self-imposed limitations.”
“It scares the pants off you but once you have done it, you realise we're all born the same,” Lindon said of the swim.
Lindon took the plunge and he did it again this year, but also managed to raise about $4000 in the process, thanks to harness racing.
His family have hobby trained harness racing horses for years, and Lindon is the driver.
Thanks to a story in a national harness racing publication, many in the community chipped in with donations.
At the same time, Lindon donated all the earnings from a recent second-placed finish at Newcastle from his horse Semi Sensation.
Lindon was full of praise for the harness racing community, who got behind him with donations, and it has encouraged him.
“It has been a resounding success. I have to take my hat off to my business associates, neighbours and the harness racing community,” he said.
The plan for the future, according to Lindon, is to continue raising money for the Charlie Teo Foundation through harness racing.
“Taking the clothes off was the easy part,” he said.
Lindon plans to donate some money from any winnings received by Semi Sensational. At the same time, he is planning to get some Charlie Teo Foundation-themed racing silks created to wear while racing.
“I'll be wearing those colours and encouraging people to do the same thing and raise more awareness and money for the foundation,” he said.
Lindon said apart from raising money, he wanted to promote harness racing. He said he had been involved in the industry for 43 years.
He has always run a mechanics business in Blacktown, but harness racing has always been his hobby, and it has kept him in great mental health.
“Work pays the bills and my hobby keeps me totally sane,” he said.
“If I didn't have the association with the harness racing I wouldn't be able to use that to raise the money, so I am very appreciative of the community.”