Magnolia Market Offers $5 One-Day Tickets For Amanda Shay Day To Honor Nurse, Mom And Her Lasting Legacy

BENEDICT, Md. — A simple Facebook post written from a hospital room has grown into one of Southern Maryland’s most meaningful annual traditions.

On Thursday, July 3, Team #deMANDAcure will celebrate Amanda Shay Day by offering $5 adult tickets (plus Eventbrite fees) for one day only to the fifth annual Magnolia Market. The special birthday promotion honors Amanda Shay (Odom) Wilkins, whose compassion for others continues to inspire a mission that has touched countless families while helping educate future nurses.

The fifth annual Magnolia Market will be held Saturday, Sept. 19, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Serenity Farm in Benedict, featuring more than 70 local vendors, food trucks, live music, hayrides, family activities, raffles and fall fun for all ages. Every dollar raised by #deMANDAcure supports programs that continue Amanda’s legacy of caring for others.

Amanda was a Calvert County native, registered nurse, military wife and devoted mother who was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer in 2018. She passed away on June 11, 2019, but not before planting the seeds for a mission that continues to grow today.

While receiving treatment, Amanda’s greatest concern wasn’t herself — it was helping her young daughter, Madison, understand what their family was experiencing.

From her hospital room, Amanda shared a Facebook post asking friends and family to donate children’s books about cancer after discovering there were few resources available for children facing a parent’s cancer diagnosis. She explained that although she was receiving exceptional care from her nurses, doctors, chaplain and child life specialists, her thoughts kept returning to Madison and finding ways to help her understand what their family was going through. Amanda hoped the books would bring comfort and guidance to other families who were newly diagnosed, actively receiving treatment or beginning the difficult journey with Stage 4 cancer.

That heartfelt request became the beginning of #deMANDAcure.

Today, the nonprofit purchases children’s books directly from authors and donates them in sets to hospitals, cancer treatment centers and wellness facilities across the country. Every donated book includes a special “pay it forward” label, allowing Amanda’s kindness to continue reaching families during some of the hardest moments of their lives.

Following Amanda’s passing, her family and friends wanted to continue that same spirit of service.

They established the Amanda Shay (Odom) Wilkins Memorial Nursing Scholarship Fund, which awards scholarships each year to nursing students at the Calvert County Career and Technology Academy and Shepherd University, Amanda’s alma mater. The scholarships help future nurses offset the cost of their education while encouraging the same compassion Amanda showed throughout her life.

The Magnolia Market itself was inspired by Amanda’s love of Southern Maryland and the community she called home.

Organizers say they chose the magnolia because it represents the beauty and charm of Southern Maryland, the place Amanda always considered home. As a military spouse who traveled around the country, home remained especially meaningful. Amanda also loved everything about fall in Maryland — pumpkins, flowers, hayrides, local festivals and supporting small businesses.

When Team #deMANDAcure partnered with Serenity Farm, organizers found the perfect setting to bring those passions together in one place with local vendors, talented craftsmen, delicious food, family activities and the beauty of the fall season.

But the Magnolia Market is about much more than shopping.

Every admission ticket, raffle purchase and donation helps provide children’s books to families navigating a cancer diagnosis while also funding scholarships for future nurses. Organizers hope every guest leaves knowing they didn’t just attend a fall festival — they helped continue Amanda’s legacy of compassion, kindness and caring for others.

Visitors can shop from more than 70 local vendors while enjoying live music, food trucks, beer, wine and distillery tastings, hayrides, a petting pen, children’s activities, raffles and 50/50 drawings. The first 250 guests will receive a free swag bag, and children 12 and younger receive free admission along with a complimentary pumpkin while supplies last.

The Magnolia Market also marks the kickoff of Team #deMANDAcure’s annual Ultimate Holiday Gift Raffle. Raffle tickets will go on sale during the event on Sept. 19 and will also be available for purchase online, giving supporters another way to help fund children’s book donations and nursing scholarships throughout the year.

For one day only on Thursday, July 3, adult admission will be available for $5 (plus Eventbrite fees) in honor of Amanda Shay Day. After July 3, advance tickets will return to $10, while admission at the gate will be $15.

Organizers hope the July 3 ticket special is more than just a discount.

They hope the community will celebrate Amanda’s birthday by coming together to support local businesses, honor her memory, help families facing cancer and invest in the next generation of nurses. Every ticket purchased helps ensure Amanda’s legacy continues making a difference throughout Southern Maryland and beyond.

Magnolia Market at Serenity Farm
Saturday, Sept. 19 | 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
6932 Serenity Farm Road, Benedict, MD 20612

Admission: $10 in advance | $15 at the gate | Children 12 and younger are free and receive a complimentary pumpkin while supplies last. The first 250 guests receive a free swag bag.