For Immediate Release

St. Petersburg Benefit Raises Funds to Keep Tampa Bay's Living Shorelines Alive

A July 30 evening at The Study pairs a raffle, a silent auction, and close-up magic with a cause most people never hear about: the upkeep that keeps coastal restoration working.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (July 10, 2026) Living shorelines protect Tampa Bay's coast by replacing hardened seawalls with native plants, oysters, and natural materials that absorb storm energy and rebuild habitat. Building them is only half the work. Keeping these healthy takes maintenance and monitoring that rarely comes with funding, and that gap is what a new St. Petersburg benefit sets out to close.

The Living Shoreline Summer Fundraiser will be held Thursday, July 30, 2026, from 6:00 to 9:00 PM at The Study Wine and Bourbon Tasting Lounge. The evening benefits Ecosphere Restoration Institute, the Largo-based nonprofit whose scientists have completed 54 living shoreline projects across Florida using oyster domes, mangroves, and marsh plantings, alongside more than 150 restoration projects in all. It is hosted by Living Restorations in partnership with Living Spaces Gardening.

Ecosphere has restored coastal and freshwater habitat across Florida since 2003, but the organization is quick to point out that a finished project is not a finished job. Living shorelines need monitoring and hands-on care to take hold, and that ongoing stewardship is the hardest part to fund. Proceeds from the evening go directly toward that maintenance work in the Tampa Bay region.

Guests will be welcomed with a complimentary glass of champagne and close-up magic from St. Petersburg magician John Williams, who will also host the evening as master of ceremonies. Tom Ries will present the Cockroach Bay Addition Habitat Restoration project, and artist West Evans will paint that same shoreline live throughout the night. The finished original will headline a silent auction, while nearly everything else, including the magic show and handcrafted charcuterie boards, will be raffled, alongside a charcuterie spread and The Study's pour-your-own wine and bourbon on a pay-as-you-go basis.

"People assume a restoration project is finished the day it goes in the ground, but the first few years of care are what make it last," said Kiamesha Wray, owner of Living Restorations and a Florida Master Naturalist. "This evening lets the community be part of that work, and have a genuinely good night out while they do it."

Silent Auction

• An original painting of the Cockroach Bay Addition Habitat Restoration project, created live during the event by West Evans, an artist working in the Highwaymen tradition. Bidding starts at a $400 minimum, and West's original paintings are valued at over $2,000.

Raffle

Nearly every prize is raffled, with prizes valued up to $1,000. Each prize has its own bucket, so guests drop their tickets toward whatever they most want to win. Raffle tickets are 1 for $10, 3 for $25, 8 for $50, or 20 for $100, and guests must be present to win.

• A private one-hour magic show by John Williams (approximate $600 value)
• Admission tickets to ZooTampa at Lowry Park, donated by the Zoo
• Two native landscape design consultations from Living Spaces Gardening ($125 value each)
• Handcrafted rosewood charcuterie boards by JAW's Custom Wood and Interiors (approximate $250 value each)
• A gift bag from Golfology, St. Petersburg's indoor golf lounge
• Native Florida plants, including scarlet hibiscus and wild coffee, from the seasonal selection
• Gold Bar Bourbon, donated by The Study

Seating is limited.

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