Smith Hardy
END NOTE
I saw a little groundhog, He came out in the sun, And when he saw his shadow, Back home he had to run.
S
o goes the beginning of the Groundhog Song, penned by North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences staffers. Itâs the cheeky opener to the museumâs annual Groundhog Day celebration, replete with a Shadow Ceremony, a Groundhog Whisperer (also known as the mayor) and, of course, an appearance by Sir Walter Wally. Always a rehabilitated groundhog, this animal ambassador is charged with stepping out to see if his shadow will predict a swift end to winter. Itâs a fun event thatâs less about predicting the weather than it is about teaching kids about conservation, says museum educator Kari Wouk. This year, February 2 lands on a weekend, so theyâre expecting a crowd to make groundhog hats, learn about hibernation and pose for photos with Wally. âThat being said, Wally is about 58 percent accurateâwhich is higher than another, more famous groundhog, who is only about 39 percent accurate,â notes Wouk. And, of course, youâll be expected to sing along, to the tune of I Have a Little Dreidel. But donât worry, says Wouk, âWe pass out the lyrics!â âAyn-Monique Klahre
130 | WALTER
