Nearly 200 oyster growers and volunteers recently gathered under a big tent for the Chesapeake Bay Oyster Reef Recovery Initiative’s 12th Annual Oyster Social. The event took place at the offices of founding sponsor Eglseder Wealth Management Group, Inc. to show appreciation for the time, effort, and hard work the oyster growers and volunteers put in to keep the Initiative’s oyster program thriving.
“Every year we thank our growers and volunteers by hosting an evening full of great food, drinks, and fun to show them our appreciation for the time, effort, and hard work they put in to keep our oyster program thriving,” said Eglseder Wealth Management Group, Inc. President Scott Eglseder.
The event’s locally sourced menu included 700 freshly shucked oysters from Cole’s Seafood and Deli in Easton, Maryland, handmade hamburgers from Frase’s Meat Shop in Preston, Maryland, and Nathan’s hot dogs, baked beans, shrimp cocktail, and a variety of other sides from Acme Market in Easton, Maryland. Beer and assorted wines were provided by Town and Country Liquors of Easton, Maryland, with Smith Island cakes from Skipjacks in St. Michaels served for dessert.
The Chesapeake Bay Oyster Reef Recovery Initiative was founded in 2011 by Eglseder Wealth Management Group, Inc., and, as measured by the number of growers in any group, has grown to be the largest group of oyster growers (for restoration purposes) in the State of Maryland.
The project is part of the state’s Marylanders Grow Oysters program to encourage people to become involved in Maryland’s oyster restoration efforts and clean-up of the Chesapeake Bay.
“We were honored to have former Secretary of Maryland’s Department of Natural Resources Jeannie Haddaway-Riccio speak about her previous responsibilities and share information about the Chesapeake Bay Agreement,” says Eglseder. “We additionally heard from Maryland DNR’s Shellfish Division Director Chris Judy, who computed that the Initiative had collected and planted more than 217,000 baby oysters in the Tred Avon River, our designated state oyster sanctuary.”
Eglseder says in keeping with the Initiative’s ongoing “How it used to be” Oyster Social theme, guests were greeted with a display of classic cars from the Antique Automobile Club of America. These automobiles were brought to the event by Andy and Agnes Wilhem of Centreville, Maryland, Mary and Bud Story of Barclay, Maryland, and Diann Prahl and her grandson, Kent Callahan of Queen Anne, Maryland.
Guests also enjoyed displays and presentations from the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Sciences Horn Point Laboratory, Phillips Wharf Environmental Center, and the Oyster Recovery Partnership.
To learn how to become an oyster grower, please visit www.oystersforthebay.com or contact Suzanne Anderson, Program Manager, at 410-822-9143.
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