“The Groundhogese”
August 2019
he fficial ewsletter f he unxsutawney roundhog lub T O N o T P G C www.groundhog.org
Coming to Punxsutawney? Share your pictures of your visit with us!
Submit your favorite memory about Groundhog Day!
Newsletter Highlights
Groundhog Picnic
Worldwide Adventures of Phil
Groundhog Trivia
Gobbler’s Knob Wine Festival
Handler’s Blog
Annual Groundhog Picnic & Phil PhestPage 2 of 9
Groundhog Picnic and Phil Phest: Groundhog Day in the Summer?
What would Groundhog Day be like if it was in the summer? We'll never know because the Seer of Seers only comes out of hibernation to make his annual prediction on those cold morning sunrises on February 2nd. But if you want the closest thing to Groundhog Day, without having to wear "your booties", come see Phil at the Knob on Saturday September 7th, 2019 at the 121st Annual Groundhog Club Picnic and Phil Phest!
The Punxsutawney Groundhog Club has been holding its Annual Picnic for 121 years starting in 1898. Back then, hundreds of Club members and guests gathered, many coming to Punxsutawney by train, to have a festive picnic near Gobbler’s Knob. (As we all know, Phil is 134 years old but it took Phil awhile to get the Club organized.) Since then, the Club has held its annual picnic to celebrate its good fortune in knowing Phil, and to hold the “Elixir of Life Ceremony” at the Knob, giving Phil 7 more years of life for each sip.
There is food and adult beverage starting a 1 pm, followed by a full steak dinner at 5 pm. And several years ago Phil wanted to liven things up a bit, thus adding the name Phil Phest, combining music and a highly competitive fun Cornhole Tournament open to all.
The price: Advanced Tickets $25.00, Tickets that day $30.00.
Click Here for Tickets!
The 7th Annual Worldwide Adventures of Phil Photo Competition
Wow, Groundhoggers! What a year! We are currently receiving the entries for the Worldwide Adventures of Phil. So far it looks like, Phil had quite the summer! Thank you to all those that participated in this year’s competition. Here is a reminder of all the great prizes this year! Submit your pictures by October 4th ,2019! Good luck to all those that participated! Prizes for Phil Phriends 12 & Under Prizes for National, International, and GHC Member Category 1st Place: $75 Worth of Groundhog Day Souvenirs
st 1 Place: 2 Inner Circle Section Passes for 2nd Place: $50 Worth of Groundhog Day Souvenirs Gobbler’s Knob on Groundhog Day 2020, a Gobbler’s Knob Parking Pass, and a 3rd Place: $25 Worth of Groundhog Day Souvenirs Groundhog T-Shirt
2nd Place: 2 Inner Circle Section Passes at Gobbler’s Knob on Groundhog Day 2020 and a Groundhog T-Shirt
3rd Place: 2 Inner Circle Section Passes at Gobbler’s Knob on Groundhog Day 2020
The Groundhog Club is on…
Make sure to follow us on Instagram—punxsyphil
Trivia Question Question: Which Inner Circle Member has 4 children
- which is the most in the Inner Circle?
Submit your answers to [email protected] . The first three people to answer correct will win a prize!!
Page 4 of 9 6 Months Till Groundhog Day
By: Ron Ploucha, Stump Warden
With August 2nd fast approaching, we, the Inner Circle of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club, must soon begin the mandatory and grueling 6-month Groundhog Day preparation. It is a process of both mental and physical conditioning so as to assure that we are ready to endure whatever Mother Nature and/or Punxsutawney Phil sends our way. Here is a summary of what we can expect over the next six months.
August 2nd – September 1st… Each day we will gradually diminish the amount of sleep we get. Depending on our bedtime which varies from member to member (the younger guys stay our late till after midnight whereas the more elderly of us turn out the lights right after we watch Jeopardy), our goal is to get down to 6 hours of sleep.
September 2nd – October 1st…As mentioned above, all members will reduce their total sleep to just 5 hours per night. It is also during this month that the mandatory facial hair will begin to appear on most members. This could be one of the reasons that there are no females in the Inner Circle!
October 2nd – November 1st…Total sleep will be down to just 4 hours per night. Each member is required to stand outside for at least 3 hours prior to sunrise. To become accustomed to cooler temperatures, only light jackets are permitted. Facial hair will need groomed on a regular basis.
November 2nd – December 1st…Only 3 hours of sleep permitted each night. Total time spent outside increases to 4 hours each night and clothing will be limited to just short sleeved shirts and light trousers. Absolutely no coats or jackets are allowed now. To increase our durability in the elements, after the first 2 hours are completed, we must turn on the lawn sprinklers and dance about the yard in the man-made “rain” for the remaining 2 hours.
December 2nd – January 1st…While all the Phil Phans are getting ready for Christmas, the Inner Circle Members are focused on one thing only. The Big Day is now less than 2 months away our conditioning process now becomes brutal. We must learn to operate on only 2 hours of sleep per night and spend 5 hours outside before the sun comes up. If there is snow on the ground we are allowed to wear shoes but the shirt and trousers have now been replaced with just boxer shorts and sleeveless t-shirts. By now most of the lawn sprinklers are frozen solid so our spouses just spray us with water each half hour. By now we are learning some dance moves appropriate for cold temperatures. Only perk this month is that if we are lucky, we might run into Santa Claus while outside!
January 2nd – February 1st…GHog day is close!! We now practice staying up all night – but we are allowed to sleep one hour every other day. Much time during the day is now devoted to trying to manage the wild facial hair and the grumpy Inner Circle members who have not had much sleep. Meetings every day and night, getting ready to accommodate the hundreds or thousands or maybe millions of Punxsutawney Phil Phans from all over the world as they descend on our little town. The boxer shorts and t-shirts have now been replaced with full blown tuxedos. We wear them day after day, night after night. The good thing is that we don’t sweat because we are now spending 24 hours a day outside in the frigid temperatures. We buy banquet tickets, ball tickets, tickets for this and tickets for that. Our schedules are locked in, our song and dance numbers have been perfected, and we are guaranteed that nothing could ever go wrong!!
February 2nd…Groundhog Day 2020 is HERE!!! We are ready. Are you?
Destination:
Gobbler’s Knob Enhancement Project
Building on to a Legendary Past, Constructing an Innovative Future
The Punxsutawney Groundhog Club is continuing its efforts to raise funding for the project called, Destination: Gobbler’s Knob. We are working with Carnegie Science Center on some outstanding interactives displays that will be in the new visitor center. How can you help?
There are many ways to support this project, here are few ways: - Monetary Donations - By visiting Punxsutawney now and after we have the project complete - By communicating the exciting project to others - Continued support of Groundhog Day and Punxsutawney Phil - Communicate to us way that we can improve a visitor experience year-round.
Interested in donating? Click here!
Check out some of the interior display ideas! Where in the World is Phil? Operation Game: Phil Edition Shadow Catcher ‘Off Season’ Phil Phil’s Timeline And more!!!
The Online Scavenger Hunt Contest is back!
Are you ready for a challenge?!
The dates for the Online Scavenger Hunt will be now through August 16th!
A different weekly clue/ riddle will be given on Phil’s social media, www.groundhog.org, and emailed to the GHC Membership once a week! · All the answers to the clues/riddles will be found within the www.groundhog.org website. · Participants are to solve the clue/riddle weekly and submit their answer to [email protected]. · All clues/riddles will be given on Monday of each week and the answers must be submitted by Friday of that same week. Participants can not submit answers for previous weeks. · All correct answers that are submitted will be in the running for that month’s prize. Three winners will be selected at the end of each month. · In order to qualify for grand prize drawing, the participant must submit at least 5 out of 6 correct answers over the course of the competition.
The Grand Prize Winner will receive: Two Inner Circle Section Passes One, Parking Pass for Groundhog Day 2020, and one engraved brick that will be placed on the stage at Gobbler’s Knob.
Any questions? Email [email protected]
August 2nd is ½ Way to Groundhog Day! Yes, Groundhoggers! You read that correctly. Groundhog Day is a mere 6 months away. Do you have your plans made for the 2020 Celebration? Share your favorite Groundhog Day pictures with us! Use the hashtags #punxsutawneyphil #halfwaythere #ghd2020 We would love to see your favorite memories!! Handler’s Blog
By: AJ Dereume
Phil and Phyllis have been enjoying a nice relaxing summer other than a busy 4th of July week. Punxsutawney celebrates the 4th with a summer
festival that brings music, food, a carnival, craft vendors and lots of tourists to the park adjacent to their home. Many of those tourists find themselves paying Phil and Phyllis a
visit while enjoying the festivities, taking time to press their noses to the glass windows of the burrow in hopes of catching a real life glimpse of Phil in the place he calls home whenever he’s
not in his weatherworks on Gobbler’s Knob. Other than that, it has been all snacks and naps for Punxsutawney’s phinest, beating the heat in the comfort of their air-conditioned
Barclay Square burrow. That pretty
much sums up Phil and Phyllis 3 favorite past-times… eating, greeting… and of course snoozing.
The Big Question…..
When will tickets for Groundhog Day
Events go on sale?
As you know the members of Groundhog Club can purchase tickets and passes for Groundhog Day before the general public. We will be sending you an
email with the date they will be released. We are
finalizing locations and times. Thank you for your patience! You will be the first to know!
The Gobbler’s Knob Wine Festival will be held Saturday October 5th, 2019 at Gobbler’s Knob.
There will be two sessions: the First Session is 2 p.m. - 5 p.m. and the Second Session:6 p.m. – 9 p.m.
The regular ticket price is $25 and you will receive a wine glass. This event is a complimentary tasting!
The designated driver ticket is $10. All attendees of the wine festival must be 21 years of age or older, no matter the ticket type.
There will be great vendors will be present with some of your wine related needs! A vast spread of appetizers is included with the purchase of either ticket! The most important aspect of the event is, that each session will have an appearance by Punxsutawney Phil! There will be live music to enjoy during both sessions.
Here is the list of attending wineries so far- more will be added!
Laurel Mountain Vineyard The Winery at Wilcox Tickets will be available for purchase Bee Kind Winery starting August 12th! Shadow Vineyard & Winery Country Winery & Vineyard
Woody Lodge Winery Deer Creek Winery Groundhog Winery Bear Creek Wines Allegheny Cellars Winery
Calling all Potential Sponsors and Vendors!
Groundhog Day 2020 will be here in 6 short months! We The Groundhog Club need your help! Interested in being a sponsor or vender? 200 West Mahoning Email: [email protected] for details! Suite 1 Punxsutawney, PA 15767 2020 Groundhog Day Sponsors
PHONE: Gold (814) 618-5591 Advanced Disposal Rosebud Mining Co.
E-MAIL: [email protected] Silver FEMCO
Bronze Smith Hauling Inc.
We’re on the Web! General See us at: Punxsy Hometown Pharmacy www.groundhog.org J.R. Resources, L.P. Dr. Nathan Stebbins R.D. Brown Memorials Miller Home Furniture & Mattress Dunkel Roofing, Inc. Cloe Lumber & Supply Co. Chapter Newsletters Do you have a chapter Creative Garden update or newsletter? Acme Machine & Welding Co. LLC Share it with us! Smith, Nale, & Company Inc. Law Office Nicholas Gianvito, P.C.
310 Lawn & Garden Howard Hanna Allemang Realty
The Punxsutawney Groundhog Club Inner Circle Bill Deeley, President Jeff Lundy, Vice President Jon Johnston, Chief Healthman Butch Philliber, Iceman John Griffiths, Co-Handler AJ Dereume, Co-Handler Ron Ploucha, Stump Warden Dan McGinley, Moonshine Pat Osikowicz, O-Zone Jason Grusky- Big Chill Butch Prushnok, Coal Front Jory Serrian, Daybreaker
Dave Gigliotti, Thunder Conductor Jeff Grube, Sky Painter Tom Dunkel, Shingle Shaker