Every second Saturday of every month there’s a buzz of excitement in the air because Market Day is here! The Second Saturday Market, hosted by Serving Forward, is an ongoing monthly event that not only provides for the local community of Houston County, it pays forward and gives back as well. The idea of hosting this farmers market is one of many that Amanda Vanlandingham has for contributing towards the community. She founded her non-profit organization called Serving Forward with one goal in mind, focusing on whole wellness for pastors and missionaries. Amanda’s goal was to be a vessel of ministering to those who minister to others, a concept that came to her during her own time of working as a youth leader and struggling with a multitude of health issues. When she set out to find ways to network and partner with other Houston County and surrounding county businesses such as Ole Bake House out of Perry, GA, Sue Handbags of Warner Robins, GA, Second Saturday Market began and has been running strong since, in fact it recently celebrated its first year of operation. So what makes this market or event different from others around the county? The answer to that question is where the collaboration of local Houston County community members comes in. Serving Forward invites local community members who have family farm businesses, home-harvested or hand-crafted goods and services to sell. Each local community member or vendor pays a small fee that goes to the Serving Forward non-profit organization, and in return they get to set up shop on the Vandlingham’s private property from 9 AM to 1 PM to greet, educate, and serve the community via the communication and selling of their products and goods. Amanda shares the purpose of the Market is to offer local farm, home-harvested, and hand-crafted businesses a place to shine and share their knowledge and talents so that others who are interested could learn and venture out to do the same. Unlike conventional market events held at local conference centers, coliseums, and Perry fairgrounds, this market is much more personable. Amanda makes it a point so stop and talk with each vendor, to share with them about their business and also about Serving Forward too. Serving Forward has a booth at the Market too...Amanda and her partner, Shannon Feudner, sell produce and share the gospel, as they share about their nonprofit mission, the towers and all things supporting spiritual, physical, and emotional wellness. There are lots of things to see at the Second Saturday Market to include the greenhouse located on the Vandlingham’s property as well as their pond, resident ducks, chickens, a rooster, farm dogs...Einstein, the family pig, comes out to visit with the vendors too. Chris, Amanda’s husband, faithfully supports his wife in all her endeavors and shares that she is one of the most giving people he knows and she is always willing to help others feel better. Amanda has hopes to expand beyond the Market on their property by building retreat cabins for pastors and missionaries around the lake. She currently offers wellness classes on making items such as fire cider, kombucha, and water kefir. Serving Forward has hosted a “Dinner under the Stars, ”fundraiser and will be hosting another one this year as well. Amanda truly enjoys educating others about whole foods and whole wellness, along with her nonprofit business Serving Forward; she also has her own business, Renewed Health, where she meets independently with clients, to help them assess their own whole wellness lifestyles. With a business, a nonprofit, and her husband’s drag racing hobbies, hosting a monthly market seems like it would be the last thing on her mind, but paying forward and giving back is at the basis of many things on Amanda’s mind and always a part of her goals .Amanda shares that she would love to incorporate inviting local artists to join in the Second Saturday Market; she hopes to build a stage on site, for local musicians and/or showcasing local potters, painters, etc. One of the ways the Market currently gives back comes from collecting a donated item from each vendor which contributes to a gift basket that is gifted to a local pastor in the community. Each month a different pastor’s name is drawn after being nominated by local community members via Serving Forward’s Facebook page. Amanda also hopes to develop a lunch and learn program for pastors and ministry staff within the upcoming year, in which she would again utilize a collaboration of goods from the Second Saturday Market vendors to create meals delivered to the church, with an educational conversation about how and what the whole foods being eaten do for restoring one’s whole health. Kids are also a part of the equation, when making plans for future markets by providing a creative or learning activity, or a cook and learn booth just for children, greenhouse tours, and answering questions about life on the farm. Amanda is known for breaking out garden books and telling produce tales to children at Second Saturday Market; she enjoys offering kid-friendly and fun treats such as “ants on a log” and “gooey good caterpillars” because she wants kids to learn how to eat well for themselves and have fun while doing it. As for how long folks can expect the Second Saturday Market to continue, Amanda says, “As long as God intends for it to go for,” which is an answer vendors such as Anita Curry of Golden Bee Apiaries likes to hear. Anita is one of the market’s original vendors and shares that she thoroughly enjoys coming to Second Saturday Market, and sharing about her bees and honey with all folks and “how honey heals and helps us in so many ways. ”Amanda shares, “That’s exactly what I hope will always stand out about the Second Saturday Market, is the idea that it is a place where people come together to collaborate, learn, grow, and share what they know with others. It’s collaboration over competition here, because when we know better, we do better, and when we are learning from one another, we are encouraging one another to grow too.” That’s the kind of community business everyone wants to have and Second Saturday Market is here to pay it forward and to give back month after month, year after year.