Urbanna Oyster Festival Queen contestant Cara Moss and her Little Miss Spat co-contestant Sawyer Edwards dedicated their project to raising money and awareness for oyster restoration in the Chesapeake Bay. Cara’s project, Adopt an Oyster, allowed community members to “adopt” baby oysters and give them names, helping them feel connected to restoring the bay. The donations supported the Tidewater Oyster Gardeners Association (TOGA), a nonprofit organization founded in 1997 that works to improve the Chesapeake Bay and its rivers by raising oysters and teaching others how to do the same. Today, TOGA supports nearly 600 families who grow oysters at home and share the goal of protecting the bay.
To raise money for TOGA, Cara and Sawyer organized a lunch fundraiser at Mobjack Tavern, where a portion of the proceeds supported the project. To spread awareness, Cara designed posters and thank-you cards, which were displayed in local businesses, including Piankatank River Golf Club, Moss & Riggs, Los Compadres and The River Market. Through these combined efforts, Cara raised $2,100 for TOGA.
When she and Sawyer presented the donation, TOGA’s leaders shared that it could be one of the largest contributions of the year. The funds will purchase thousands of spat, which will be planted in the bay to grow, filter water, and form reefs that protect shorelines and create habitats.
