By ALJE KAMMINGA

Teagan Adams watched Wednesday night as four of the five panelists on the CBC hit show, Dragon’s Den, committed $500 each to market his board game, Doogood. Then the 10-year-old Osoyoos Elementary School student headed out for a night of trick or treating – dressed as Kevin (Mr. Wonderful) O’Leary, the one panelist who said no to his idea.
“That’s OK,” Teagan said after watching the show on TV with his family and four or five friends. He recognizes that O’Leary is the show’s resident villain but says that he’s “really very funny and easy to talk to.”
Actually, Teagan’s generous attitude to his only detractor is typical of the thinking that went into his board game. As he told the potential investors during the show, his ‘passion is to make a difference in the world and to teach kids social responsibility.” To that end, Doogood rewards players for committing good deeds.
Teagan asked the dragons for an investment of $30,000. In exchange, the new partner would get 50 per cent of future profits. Instead, four panelists -- Jim Treliving, Bruce Croxon, David Chilton and Arlene Dickinson – committed $500 each in return for a first right of refusal for any further investment. Dicksinon, Teagan’s favourite dragon, also offered free marketing advice.
Teagan says he came up came with the idea for Doogood while watching Dragons’ Den last year. The six characters who now make up the game like to “do good” things for other people. In exchange, they earn points. The player who accumulates the most points wins the game. Eventually, Teagan hopes to create dozens of characters who are rewarded for doing good deeds for others.
In any case, it appears that his appearance on Dragon’s Den has turned out to be a good deed for Teagan’s plans to market his game. Although the dragon’s finals decisions were a well-kept secret until Halloween night, just the news that he had been invited to appear before the dragons boosted awareness of the game. Wednesday night, he said he has sold about 50 games so far and has heard from about 100 teachers who have expressed an interest in the game as a classroom tool. For his part, Teagan believes Doogood could be a valuable tool to help schools prevent bullying.
As for Kevin O’Leary’s dismissal – he told Teagan he was not ready yet and to give him a call in 10 years –the Grade 5 student says he might just keep that appointment. Meanwhile, he says he’ll keep doing good deeds and encouraging others to do the same through his brainchild, Doogood.