ORMOND BEACH, Fla. - TelAve -- Oysters for My Neighborhood is calling on local waterfront residents and businesses with docks to help place Vertical Oyster Gardens (VOGs) in the water immediately to take advantage of the upcoming spat run.

A total of 300 VOG bags are ready now — assembled during the last two community build events in Palm Coast and Daytona Beach — and are available free of charge to anyone is willing to install one on their dock on the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW).

"Momentum is growing," said Chuck Gleichmann, founder of Oysters for My Neighborhood. A recent Palm Coast build brought together 42 volunteers who assembled 147 VOGs in one morning. "Timing matters," added Gleichmann. "We need these VOGs in the water as soon as possible so they can catch the next spat run and begin supporting oyster growth and water filtration right away."

Early results are encouraging. In a recent check of a VOG that had been in the water since last summer, volunteers found more than 40 baby oysters attached — a sign that local restoration efforts are working and that oysters are establishing on docks throughout the ICW.

VOGs are suspended from docks and provide a protected place for oysters to attach and grow. Oysters are natural filter feeders and play an important role in improving water quality.

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VOGs can be picked up at Keys Deck and Dock Supply, located at 236 2nd St., Daytona Beach, FL, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Dock owners are encouraged to stop by during business hours to pick up a VOG bag and install it on their dock. Installation help is available if needed by emailing info@oystersformyneighborhood.com.

For more information, including how to get involved in the next VOG assembly, or to donate to help cleaning our rivers naturally, visit https://www.oystersformyneighborhood.com/.

About Oysters for My Neighborhood

Oysters for My Neighborhood is a community-driven environmental initiative focused on improving water quality in the Intracoastal Waterway through the installation of Vertical Oyster Gardens. VOGs are made using recycled oyster shells from local restaurants and are suspended from docks to create habitat for juvenile oysters. As oysters grow, they help improve water quality in the Intracoastal Waterway by filtering the water, and the shell clusters provide shelter for small marine life such as fish, crabs, and shrimp—supporting a healthier local ecosystem. Oysters can filter several gallons of water per hour.