(Rolling Prairie, IN) - A popular Rolling Prairie diner just finished celebrating the twelve days of Christmas in a tasty way.  No lords a-leaping.  No French hens.  Just pies.

 

Jenny Rae’s Diner, with the help of an area benefactor, gave out one pie every day from December 26 to January 6.  Owner Jennifer Corbett says it was a fitting way to celebrate Christmas, since holiday plans this year changed.  Usually, the diner hosts a breakfast with Santa and a Christmas coloring contest.  "All these things kind of fell through the cracks this year because of all the mandates," she says.  So Corbett decided to tap into an ongoing diner tradition and give away pies for the twelve days of Christmas.  The types of pies varied.  A few strudels were thrown in.

 

Her partner in pies was George Oudhuis, a Jenny Rae’s regular, who delivered them to deserving people.  He says he tried to reach out to local first responders and restaurant workers, people who have persevered on the front lines during the pandemic.  "The first one went to a marine leaving that day going back to base," he says.  The second pie went to a Sheriff's deputy he and his wife passed along the highway.  And so it went. "The last twelve days have been real busy," Oudhuis says.  "We left a lot of times pulling out of the driveway saying, 'who are we giving this one to?'  It was a wing a prayer."

 

If George’s name sound familiar, it's because he’s the area’s biggest Green Bay Packer fan. He's currently vying for induction into the Packer Fan Hall of Fame (see the story from Hometown News Now by clicking here).  But, Oudhuis is also known as the pie man.  He has given away one pie every Friday for the past thirteen years in memory of his mother.  This year he just stepped up the tradition for the sake of Christmas spirit.