Royal Oak

Royal Oak club celebrates prognosticating Phil

By Heidi Roman
C & G Staff Writer

They say Punxsutawney Phil really is 126 years old and drinks an "elixir of life" to keep his health up for his annual weather predictions. They claim the groundhog’s forecasts are reliable 100 percent of the time.

Phil’s is a legend perpetuated and protected year after year by the Inner Circle, an elite group of top hat-wearing, bow tie-sporting gentlemen in Punxsutawney, Pa.

The Inner Circle hosts a weeklong celebration in the town leading up to Groundhog Day Feb. 2, and locally, a group in Royal Oak will gather on the holiday to relish in their new recognition as an official chapter of the Inner Circle’s Groundhog Club.

“It’s a social thing,” said Katie Donald, event coordinator for the Pennsylvania-based Punxsutawney Groundhog Club. “There are 61 chapters across the United States and in other countries, and a few internationally as well.”

The unusual weather Michigan saw in January made every day a question as to what residents would wake up to the next morning: rain or snow?

Some may laugh off old Phil’s prognostications based on the appearance of his shadow, but the more superstitious among us will be anxious to learn if spring is near or winter will linger a bit longer.

The legend of Punxsutawney Phil started in the 1880s. Each year on Feb. 2, he leaves his burrow at Gobbler’s Knob to observe the weather conditions, look for his shadow and make his prediction for the remainder of winter.

Legend says if Phil sees his shadow, there will be six more weeks of winter weather. If he does not, spring will come early. According to the Inner Circle, Phil speaks only to the Groundhog Club president in “groundhogese,” a language only understood by Phil and the president.

This year will be the second annual Groundhog Day gathering in Royal Oak, organized by resident Bill Allen. Allen reserves a room at BlackFinn to get together with friends and other club members for happy hour.

“It’s just a bit of foolishness, something to break up the weather,” he said. “We get together and have a little fun.”

Allen’s favorite movie is — not surprisingly — 1993’s “Groundhog Day” starring Bill Murray and Andie MacDowell. The movie follows a weatherman who is repeatedly sent to cover the weather forecasting event, and isn’t happy about it. He wakes up the next morning to discover it’s Groundhog Day again, and is forced to re-live the same day and same events over and over.

“I always used to have a little house party, and I’d show this film,” Allen said. “No one ever paid any attention to it. And I decided to go bigger and rent a room at BlackFinn. We showed (the movie) last year and, once again, no one watched it.”

Allen’s not bothered by the lack of attention to the movie and just aims to have a little fun at his celebration. After last year’s event, he applied to become a national chapter after finding the 10 members required to be recognized as one.

This year, Allen is hoping to get Phil’s morning prediction in Punxsutawney, Pa., re-broadcast on a big screen at his party. He also plans an icebreaker game, a Groundhog Day coloring contest and a slideshow of photos from last year’s celebration.

“I just keep trying to build on what I do every year,” he said.

Nearly 50 people are expected to join Allen to the RSVP-required celebration.

As for his own prediction about the weather, Allen said he “doesn’t think we’re going to have much winter this year.” But he’d rather leave the predicting to famous Phil.

Anyone interested in learning more or attending should email Allen at wallen148687@comcast.net.

Punxsutawney Phil’s prediction will be webcast starting at 6 a.m. Feb. 2 on Pennsylvania’s tourism website, www.visitpa.com/groundhog-day. He will leave his burrow at Gobbler’s Knob at 7:20 a.m.

You can reach C & G Staff Writer Heidi Roman at hroman@candgnews.com or at (586)218-5006.