. A • . ^ THURSDAY. FEBRUARY 1. 107&

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The Head Groun^iog introduced, the groups who went to find the groundhog. The group that finally found and saw the groundhog was called life Bald Elgin. I couldn’t understand the reason for their name until they all took their top hats off, not a strand of hah on any of them. They announced the news. They found the groundhog and the groundhog was his shadow and made tracks back for a nap. Oh

well, more winter. The crowd decided that they didn’t care and ^ went into the Lodge to celebrate Groundhog’s day. Inside, the activities continued with celebrations. Bill Cpster, the PhSadelphla weatherman was made an honorary member of the Lodge. The Hermit crab, Martin . Mullask,. mascot for Ocean City was also there. I guess you can i magine all the crab jokes that were told. - All in all, the

members and guests of the Slumbering Grouriifl Hog Lodge had a great time celebrating the coming of spring, even if the groundhog did let us down last year. Maybe this year the groundhog will be friendlier. But one thing 1 know for sure, after celebrating^ the day with the Slumbering Groundhog Lodge, Feb. ?nd will never be the same. ahr HrrahY

By Cate Watson Friday the 2nd of February is the big day. It is the big day not only for the poor little Groundhog, who has the fortune of our spring fate in his diadow, but it is the big day for the men at the Slumbering'Grouridhog Lodge. I first heard of the Slumbering Groundhog Lod|e while working at a newspaper in Lancaster, Pa. I couldn’t believe that there was a group of men who actually called themselves Slumbering Groundhogs. I knew after I read the short news article about the Lodge that 1 would have to see what this was all about. With a. name like Slumbering Groundhog, 1 knew Feb. 2nd would be great fund. 6:00 am Feb. 2nd, I was on my way to the lodge to see what the Ground Hog had in mhd for the next 6 weeks. It was a beautiful drive through the gently rolling hills of southern Lancaster County. It did not seem cold but snow flurries added country diarm to the farmlands and wooded -hills. Finally, on a back road, there stood the Slumbering Groundhog Lodge. It looked no different from the other buildings in the area, until I walked around to the back where all the activities were being held. The members of the lodge were quite a sight. The “brothers” were all dressed in white robes with black top hats and a carved', wooden Groundhog around their necks. The members of the lodge and thyvisitors were being divided into groups to go find '• groundhog who would forecast the future. I found myself in the group called The Slatemen. The Slatemen went down a valley, across fields, looking for the spring Groundhog. We did not see fay creatures other than a small rabbit that we kicked out of bed. The best The Slatemen could do was to hope that one of the other groups found the groundhog. The Slatemen returned to the Lodge, and the festivities of the day began. Pint, I was treated to some “warmer-up” which helped to explain why no one was feeling any of the cold. After a little waiting, the ceremony started with the Head Groundhog, telling the large crowd about the Groundhog. “Hoggie,” the mascot of the Lodge Was introduced, and promptly began to get the Head Groundhog’s arm all wet. This brought smiles and dt'ickles from all the crowd. Next the new members were initiated. The new members were called BABY Groundhogs.

In order to show that they were new members, the Baby Groundhogs had to wear a cradle cap instead of the top hat and pacifier around their necks. , They are also required to suck their thumbs. The initiation consisted of the men being thrown in the nearby creek, which had to be near freezing. After the ^ery cold NEW Groundhogs wefe pulled from the creek, the Ground Hog dance began. The dancers were accompanied by the Groundhog Band which played mostly sharp notes. The groundhog dance is quite unique. I think only a. person who started to get “warmed up” about 6:00 a.m. could do this dance, because the footwork was pretty tricky. The dance was foDowed by a beautiful display of hot air balloons; g^ens and blues, reds and yellows^ Cannon fire, from a very old cannon, went off. The big news was soon to,occur.

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