Sweet Arrow Lake seeks answers from beyond as taxidermy groundhog predicts weather – fox56.com

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by Samantha Durante
PINE GROVE, SCHUYLKILL CO. (WOLF) — As the sun rose on Groundhog Day, those in NEPA put on their warmest jackets and set out on their daily lives in sub-freezing temperatures as they awaited the weather prediction of Punxsutawney Phil. For those at Sweet Water Lake, their morning was different, knowing a living groundhog wouldn’t predict their weather.

For over 20 years, Grover the taxidermy Groundhog has predicted the weather for an area of just 180 acres, but as Hannah Kulbitsky, environmental education and outreach coordinator for the Schuylkill Conservation District, explains, the tradition of Groundhog Day encompasses more than Sweet Arrow Lake or Punxsutawney.
“There was a holiday called Candlemas or in Germany it would be called Lichtmess. It would be a celebration of light and it’s the halfway point between the winter solstice and the spring equinox,” she said.
During this holiday, she says badgers or hedgehogs would be used to predict the weather.
“When German people came to Pennsylvania, they chose the groundhog as their magical rodent because they didn’t have badgers. They didn’t have hedgehogs here, and it was a hibernating animal,” said Kulbitsky.
As their traditions adapted, so did their language, with the German language morphing into what is now known as Pennsylvania Dutch.
For natives to the area, like Rodger A Zimmerman, Pennsylvania Dutch was as common as the groundhogs that inhabited Sweet Arrow Lake.
“My dad could speak in Dutch, he could preach in Dutch, he could sing in Dutch. He was pretty good at it, better than I am,” he said.
Before it closed in 2016, Zimmerman was a member of Groundhog Lodge Number Five, the original home of Grover the Groundhog. While open, members of the lodge almost exclusively spoke Pennsylvania Dutch.
“Not many people speak it anymore. Most of the older people I spoke it with are gone,” Zimmerman explained.
This year, Zimmerman delivered Grover’s prediction in Pennsylvania Dutch, sharing just five words in common English.
“Six more weeks of winter.”
While groans filled the room, the crowd was reminded by Bob Evanchalk, Grover’s translator, that Grover’s lack of a heartbeat wasn’t the only thing that made him different.
“Now what our groundhog does that no other groundhog, or ferret or whatever else does is give a Super Bowl prediction,” explained Evanchalk.
Last year, Grover correctly predicted an Eagles victory. Just like last year, Grover seems to be following the feathers for Super Bowl LIX.
“The Seahawks fly high to the bay to the bay to make the Patriots their prey. With Sam Darnold’s arm, they’ll do plenty of harm to take the Lombardi away,” said Evanchalk.
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