Nearly 8 Billion Gallons of Water Filtered by Annual Event
Newport News, VA (November 27, 2019) – Over six hundred guests enjoyed all-you-can-eat local Virginia oysters, fried flounder, hushpuppies, steamed shrimp, assorted desserts, and much more at the Virginia Living Museum’s 8th Annual Oyster Roast on November 9, 2019. The event raised $50,289 to benefit the Museum’s educational programs and animal care needs.
Newport News Vice Mayor, Tina Vick, tapped VLM’s Oyster Brown Ale brewed by St. George Brewing Company at the VIP hour preview. The Oyster Brown Ale was made with 600 fresh Rappahannock River oysters from Sam Rust Seafood and salted caramel.
The VLM Oyster Roast is an official Virginia Green event. There were eco-stations for recycling and disposable products were biodegradable and compostable. Over 1800 pounds of oyster shells were collected by VCU Rice Rivers Center and volunteers. The oyster shells will be aged and placed in “seeding tanks”. After seeding, the spat (baby oysters) will attach to the shells. Approximately 170,000-255,000 oysters will be returned to the Chesapeake Bay, resulting in nearly 8 billion gallons of filtered water per year!
The event featured Chef Hans Schadler and the Waypoint Seafood & Grill team, Mathews Lions Club, Sam Rust Seafood, and desserts from students at the Culinary Institute of Virginia.
Guests were entertained with music by Colonial DJs and local artists Dan Pellegrino and Louis Vangieri. Museum Conservation programs and live VLM ambassador animals were showcased.
The event was sponsored by Ferguson, PNC Bank, Abbitt Realty, Allstate – Katy Jones, Breakthru Beverage, M. Price Distributing Company, C.A. Barrs, Empower Information Systems, TPMG James River Pediatrics, Jeff’s Flowers Of Course, Jones, Blechman, Woltz & Kelly P.C., Mathew Lions Club, Patten, Wornom, Hatten & Diamonstein, L.C., Philips Energy, PNC Bank, Rappahannock Concrete, Sam Rust Seafood, St. George Brewing, Culinary Institute of Virginia, Waypoint Seafood & Grill and the Wild Side Cafe.
For more information, go to the VLM website The Museum is located at 524 J. Clyde Morris Blvd., Newport News, I-64, exit 258A. For more information visit thevlm.org or call 757-595-1900. You can also find the Museum on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
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(All Pictured from left to right)
Cleon Long-VLM Board of Trustees, Yalonda Long, and Dave Jenkins-Newport News City Councilman
Rebecca Kleinhample – VLM Executive Director, Vicki Hauser, Amy Hauser & Lee Hauser
Steve Whetstine –VLM Board of Trustees, Elisabeth Whetstine, James Burnett-VLM Board of Trustees and Jennifer Burnett
Newport News Vice Mayor Tina Vick & William Spence – St. George Brewing
Waypoint Seafood
Cynthia Linkous, Elizabeth McCormick, Vickie Reynolds, Sous Chef Chad Bergeron, Stacy Martin, and Chef Hans Schadler.
Sam Rust Seafood
Ronald Roderick, Robbie Edmunds, Robert Edmunds, Brock Edmunds, Bruce Edmunds and William Spence- St. George Brewing Company
