Oysters for My Neighborhood will host a Vertical Oyster Garden (VOG) assembly on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2026, calling on local volunteers to help build VOGs that will be installed on docks along the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW). No experience is needed, and volunteers can register in advance or drop in.
The event will be held from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at Keys Deck & Dock Supply, 236 2nd St., Daytona Beach.
The group is also urging waterfront residents, HOA communities and businesses with docks to place VOGs in the water immediately to take advantage of the upcoming spat run. VOGs are available free of charge to anyone willing to install one on their dock on the ICW.
“Demand has been so strong we ran out of VOG inventory recently,” said Chuck Gleichmann, founder of Oysters for My Neighborhood. “We’re asking waterfront residents and businesses to help us get more built and installed as quickly as possible.”
The last VOG assembly at The Betty Steflik Memorial Preserve in Flagler Beach drew 65 volunteers who assembled 208 VOGs. Volunteers started at 8 a.m. and finished before 11 a.m. Across the last three assemblies, volunteers have assembled more than 500 oyster bags.
In August, volunteers installed 186 VOGs on Flagler County park docks and in HOA neighborhoods. The group has installed 414 VOGs in total to date. Demand has continued to grow, and the organization ran out of VOG inventory this past week.
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. Installation help is available if needed by emailing info@oystersformyneighborhood.com .
