Charlie Rose is hoping to get a big investment from the Dragons when he shows up riding his bouncing drum set dubbed the Boingy Boingy, but he needs some help to get to the Dragons' Den taping in Toronto May 13.
The local entrepreneur was selected to film a segment for the show when open auditions were held by CBC producers on the Coast last month, but the sheer size of his invention prevents him from flying. He will need to drive to Toronto towing his bouncing drum set, at a cost of about $5,000.
"It is going to cost me $2,500 in gas, two weeks of missed wages, a $1,500 truck repair and some hotel bills to pull this off," Rose said, estimating the total cost at roughly $5,000.
He thinks the Boingy Boingy has a chance at getting an investment; he will be asking for $100,000 for 20 per cent of his company.
But in order to meet with the Dragons, Rose has to get to Toronto first, and he is looking to the community to help him with two upcoming fundraisers to make the trip possible.
The first is tonight (April 22) from 8:30 p.m. to midnight at Gilligan's Pub. The second is on April 30 at the Sechelt Legion from 8 p.m. to midnight. Both events will feature Rose on the Boingy Boingy along with his band Altered playing music for the crowd.
At the Gilligan's event there will be a giant red cedar bench raffled off and Rose is hopeful to have T-shirts and hoodies for sale to raise money for the trip. He will also have paraphernalia for sale at the Legion.
He said he came up with the idea for the Boingy Boingy 11 years ago and he designed it so he can dance while he drums.
"It is an aggressive aerobic workout. Giving a road musician an outlet for exercise while on a busy touring schedule is one of the great benefits of the drum kit," he noted.
To see Rose in action, stop by one of his upcoming fundraisers or visit his website at www.boingyboingy.ca. It links to his Myspace site, which has videos uploaded.
Editor's note: Did you get a call back from the recent Dragons' Den auditions on the Coast? If so we want to hear from you. Please contact Coast Reporter at 604-885-4811 and talk with Christine at ext. 259 and we'll feature you in a future edition.
