Mike Wolanin | The Republic Beth White, from left, of Utopia Wildlife Rehabilitators, lets Ellison Smith and Garrett Smith take a look at Hope the groundhog during the annual Groundhog Day ceremony in Hope, Ind., Friday, Feb. 2, 2024. Hope the groundhog predicted an early spring.
HOPE – With clear skies and above-average temperatures at 8 a.m., Pastor Ed Cottrell of the Hope United Methodist Church decided to bless Friday’s 11th annual Groundhog Day event in Hope along with the community and even the groundhog with holy water.
“There is such a thing as pastoral humor,” said Cottrell, who has advocated the tongue-in-cheek Groundhog Day ritual for promoting genuine fellowship.
But it sure looked like somebody upstairs took the pastor’s blessing seriously.
As speakers were addressing an audience of almost 200 people, dark clouds suddenly began to roll in from the north. Eight minutes after the festivities started, town manager Jason Eckart kicked off the main event by officially summoning the town’s “miracle marmot.”
“Hope! Awake from your slumber and tell us the news. If your shadow you see, six more weeks of the blues. If no shadow in sight, then we shall rejoice. Spring will be here, so tell us your choice.”
As Beth White of Utopia Wildlife Rehabilitators reached inside a wooden box to bring Hope out of her hibernation, the newly-arrived clouds were obscuring the sun.
According to folklore, if the groundhog sees a shadow, that means six more weeks of winter. No shadow means spring is just around the corner.
The situation gave town librarian Dave Miller, a member of the Groundhog Groupies (modeled after the Inner Circle in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania) the leeway to proclaim what the crowd wanted to hear.
“No shadow she sees. The groundhog has spoken. The winter’s long spell will shortly be broken.”
And the moment Hope was placed back in her box, Cottrell said he noticed the sun came out again.
The annual event seems to attract larger crowds each year when the weather is cooperative. One reason is that the festivities are promoted on a number of social media sites, co-organizer and Groundhog Groupie Susan Thayer Fye said.
A pleasant surprise for organizers was when the administrator of the Pennsylvania-based ”Groundhog Nerd” Facebook page on Facebook got in contact with organizers in Hope, Thayer Fye said. With more than 14,000 followers,”Groundhog Nerd” began to promote the event in northeast Bartholomew County.
In attendance Friday were a group of college friends who travelled 226 miles from Bowling Green, Ohio, to attend the celebration.
“We woke up at 3 o’clock this morning and travelled about four hours to get here,” Kaylee Ries said.
The three have traveled to similar celebrations in earlier years, but all three said they were particularly impressed by Hope.
“This is such a perfect setting,” Rachel Roch said. “We were just saying that we want to move here.”
Her friend, Meredith Holler, described Hope as “so pretty. It just feels cozy.”
Friday was the first time that Michael and Mary Cartwright of Columbus came to the annual winter event.
“It’s charming,” Mary said. “The small town, sense of excitement, the costumes, the little park with the gazebo, the groundhog — oh, and the free groundhog doughnuts.”
Another couple, Randy and Jayne Surface, built a house outside of Hope last year. Jayne said they came to Friday’s event because they wish to become a part of the community.
“We’re both small town people, so we really feel at home here,” Randy said. “We’re finding it to be a fantastic small town with a lot to offer.”
While Jim Mitchell believes there’s no such thing as an early spring, the rural Waymansville resident says he enjoyed seeing the positive impact the festivities had on the winter-weary spectators.
“Everyone had a smile on their face,” Mitchell said. “And the kids sitting down in front? Their eyes got so big when the big chipmunk came out. It was so much fun to watch.”
His wife, Connie Mitchell, says she’s always been intrigued by Groundhog Day — especially the 1993 Bill Murray comedy that she says she always watches this time of year.
