Meo's Grand Gesture For Bayley's Future

THE kindness and generosity of greyhound folk was on full display at Wentworth Park on Saturday night with almost $50,000 raised for young Bayley Atkins who tragically lost her three siblings in a house fire on June 26.

Leading those tremendous acts of generosity was Charlie Meo, the purchaser of the seven month old Aston Dee Bee x Thinkalot pup that was put up for auction by Ash and Kylie Thomas.

"I only found out the auction was on that day," said Charlie Meo.

"I told Cam (Hallinan) I was coming down for the race meeting to watch Zipping Truvy and Zipping Bailey and he told me the auction was on to support the Atkins family after what had happened … that was the first I'd heard about it.

"I was sitting there with Jason Mackay's kids April and Rose when the pup went up for auction and when it got to $11,200 I just thought bugger this…and I went straight to $15,000. I got very emotional about it all. 

"My partner Joanne and I went halves, it's impossible to even imagine what that family is going through."

As well as buying the well-bred pup, Meo also purchased a Mepunga Blazer straw via auction and was successful in the silent auction for the Chopper Read memorabilia as well.

"People reckon I look like Chopper so I got that," Meo chuckled.

"I bought the Mepunga Blazer straw and I don't even have a brood bitch!

“But seriously anything we can do to help we should…and we've only just started. I want to say a big thanks to Ron Arnold for the way he hosted the night as well, he was great."

The acts of kindness were far reaching at Wentworth Park on Saturday night, with a number of straight out cash donations made on top of the services and memorabilia that were auctioned also.

But in Meo's eyes, it's only just begun.

"I want to provide the pup back for re-syndication," explained Meo.

"What if we could get 100 people to chip in $1000 each to race the dog? That's $100,000 there for young Bayley when she gets older … from the greyhound industry.

"If we can't be there for this young girl and family who can you be there for?

“We'll let the dust settle for a few days and get working on that … but I've got no doubt we can do it if we all come together.

"There's terrific people in greyhound racing … we can make it happen."