Downtown Springfield, Inc. (DSI) has named Mollie Ringer as market manager for the 20th season of the Old Capitol Farmers Market.

A lifelong resident of Springfield, Ringer’s nonprofit resume includes the Appalachia Service Project, Illinois Grape Growers and Vintner’s Association, and most recently, Hope. She has also been active as a volunteer for DSI events.

Her enthusiasm for working for nonprofit organizations started in college at Illinois State University where she completed an internship with the Children’s Discovery Museum. There she found passion working with youth and fundraising for the community.

“Coming from a farming family, I am very excited to have the opportunity to connect farmers with local consumers and educate the community about the available healthy products and produce right in their backyard,” said Ringer.

Ringer will be joined on market days by market assistant Kailey Connour, who graduated from University of Illinois Springfield in August with a degree in environmental studies. Connour’s interests include sustainable agriculture, renewable energy and working with marine wildlife.

“Springfield has been my home for the past three years and I’m excited to see the extra steps that the city is taking towards a better city and a greater environment,” said Connour.

The market management team will oversee a 12-month calendar which includes the Old Capitol Farmers Market from May 18-Oct. 26, two holiday markets in November and December and a monthly winter market from January through April. This is the first year that DSI has taken on the role of producing a year-round market, taking over day-to-day management of the holiday markets and winter markets which were started by the Illinois Stewardship Alliance, in addition to the summertime Old Capitol Farmers Market, which has been managed by DSI since 1999.

The vendor application for the 2019 Old Capitol Farmers Market is now live at http://bit.ly/2019OCFM.