Pictured: Dom and Vince Marino of Oyster Boys Conservation. Photo by Wyatt Kostygan.

Oyster Boys Conservation (OBC) is hosting a live gathering for volunteers, donors, and community members on Thursday August 22nd, at the Gulf Gate Food+Beer location. This gathering is a chance to meet the team and to hear firsthand about the impactful projects OBC supporters have helped push to the finish line.

Suncoast natives Dom and Vince Marino started Oyster Boys Conservation, a 501(c)3 organization two years ago when they learned about the high rate of manatee death in Florida waters. The brothers decided to take action and dedicated their nonprofit group to cleaning local waters with a little help from some oysters. Vertical oyster gardens (VOGs), the Marinos discovered, were one of the fastest and most effective ways to have a positive impact on their environment. The main purpose of OBC's work is to restore the oyster population within Florida waterways. The means of accomplishing that is through awareness, education and volunteer recruitment.

In 2022, OBC celebrated their 100 VOG Celebration event. This event was held to mark completion of their first project (100 VOGs in Blackburn Bay) and their official formation as a 501(c)3. Now they are once again hosting a celebratory event to bring community members together and to celebrate 2 years of OBC by enjoying food and drinks at Food+Beer, and a network of like-minded individuals celebrating Florida waterways and OBC.

Food buffet tickets at the event start at $25 per person and drink tickets are $15 for two drinks. They are also accepting goods/services as donations for a fundraising raffle/auction throughout the evening.

The Oyster Boys encourage everyone to visit their website (https://oysterboys.org/) and sign up for their newsletter. “We are constantly seeking people willing to volunteer their dock for VOG installation as well as drillers ready to drill some oyster shells,” says Dom.

Second Birthday Bash, Thursday, August 22nd, 6:00-9:00 PM, Food+Beer, 6528 Superior Ave, Sarasota.

Pictured: Dom and Vince Marino of Oyster Boys Conservation. Photo by Wyatt Kostygan.