The Shell Raiser’s Shindig, an annual event that generates a significant portion of the funding for VCU’s oyster restoration initiative by the VA Oyster Shell Recycling Program (VOSRP), will take place on October 21st at Libbie Mill. The VOSRP is a collaborative oyster restoration program of the VCU Rice Rivers Center and active statewide. The program has collected waste shells from more than 60 participating businesses and nearly 30 public drop-off locations and returned them to the Virginia portion of the Chesapeake Bay to help restore wild oyster populations, improve water quality and provide new fish habitat.
The upcoming fundraiser supporting VOSRP will feature dishes from regional chefs, Virginia’s oyster regions and renowned Virginia beer, wine and cider. Participating chefs will include:
Walter Bundy, Shagbark
Carlisle Bannister, Upper Shirley Vineyard
Andrew Manning, Longoven
Caleb Shriver, Dutch and Company
Patrick Willis, Lemaire at the Jefferson
Jesse Wykle, Aloha Snacks VB
This event will feature oysters from Virginia’s regions:
Shooting Point Oyster Company (regions 1 & 2)
Ruby Salts Oyster Company (region 3)
Windmill Point Oyster Company (region 4)
J&W Seafood (region 5)
Big Island Aquaculture/ Vogt Oyster Company (region 6)
Tangier Island Oyster Company (region 8)
The goal of The Shell Raisers Shindig is to increase community awareness of the benefits of shell recycling and Bay restoration, communicate the VOSRP connection to the farm-to-table community, and grow the VA Oyster Shell Recycling Program at large. To learn more about the ways VOSRP has returned approximately 7 million oysters to the Bay in 2018, click here. To attend the fundraiser, visit https://shell-raisersshindig.weebly.com.