The covid-19 pandemic has altered traditions, but in some cases, perhaps it has created new ones.

Plum Creek Presbyterian Church had to change plans for its 17th annual Christmas nativity walk-through event.

Initially the event was changed to a drive-thru but Gaye Mallisee, a congregant and member of the church’s mission committee, said the event was eventually canceled to keep volunteers safe from the virus.

“We we’re excited about the drive-thru thing. I wish that would have worked out,” she said.

In the end, the mission committee decided to help out those in need in a different way — by shopping for the Plum Food Pantry’s clients’ Christmas dinners.

Mallisee said the response was great, with church members and the Plum community purchasing enough groceries for 60 families.

The “Christmas bags” are filled with a box of instant mashed potatoes, gravy mix, stuffing mix, sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, apple sauce, 2 cans of vegetables, cornbread mix, pie filling and pie crust mix.

“Everything except a turkey – or ham, or whatever they like,” Mallisee said.

The choice of meat could be purchased using a gift card that the Plum Food Pantry typically has available for families around this time of year, said Bernie Ogline, president of the food pantry.

“This will give (our clients) a lot more than what we’d normally be able to give them,” Ogline said. “So this will be a nice present for them for some extra food at Christmas.”

Ogline, 74, of Plum has served with the food pantry since 2004. He’s been president for two years.

The organization has been around since 1982, when it was founded by congregants of the church. Ogline said it has grown since then from having one fridge in a closet to now having a shed and several freezers and fridges.

In recent months, the pantry has helped an average of around 80 to 90 families a month. But before, and at the height of the pandemic, they served up to 130 families.

The food pantry is housed at the Holiday Park United Methodist Church. It is a separate entity, Ogline said.

He said the food pantry has historically organized a toy drive, too. But the pandemic changed those plans. Instead of collecting toys, the food pantry will hand out gift cards to families to purchase toys.

Mallisee said this is the first time the Plum Creek Presbyterian Church has helped out the Plum Food Pantry in this way. She hopes it sticks.

“It’s just a really positive thing,” she said.

Volunteers from Plum Creek will drop the Christmas food bags at Holiday Park United Methodist Church in time for the food pantry’s distribution, which takes place Dec. 12 from 9 to 11 a.m.

To qualify for help at the food pantry, clients must qualify by income levels. Ogline said clients must also live in Plum or be an active member of a church in Plum.

For more information, visit the plumfoodpantry.org or call 724-327-0367.

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