Punxsutawney Phil Goes to Washington
Written by Emilie Cooper
Punxsutawney Phil was in town to raise awareness of the work of the American Forest Foundation in helping conserve America’s 10 million family forests, and in providing environmental education training to 30,000 educators every year. For more than a century, Punxsutawney Phil has inspired many followers to layer up, put on a hat and head to Pennsylvania’s Gobblers Knob to celebrate Groundhog Day and await his weather prediction: early spring or six more weeks of winter.
Traveling to DC was nothing new; Phil has met past President Reagan and entertained the House of Representatives - but he was said to be especially excited to meet a member of the Rolling Stones. Entertaining the guests at the event was legendary keyboardist of the Rolling Stones, Chuck Leavell. A Georgia certified Tree Farmer, Leavell has a lifelong interest in sustainable forestry and recently launched the highly popular Website Mother Nature Network.
Prior to the concert, Phil mingled with guests from all across the county, including this year’s national winners of the American Forest Foundation’s Conservation Forestry award, Dr. William Jahoda from Connecticut and Mr. Campbell Lanier from Alabama. “He’s so big!” was a common comment, along with “Where does he live when not in his burrow?” (the municipal library). But don’t ask him about his predecessors in the esteemed position of Punxsutawney Phil, because it’s a sensitive subject and he likes to think of himself as immortal.
To help support the Americam Forest Foundation, Phil and his Inner Circle, Bill Cooper and Mike Johnston, both from Punxsutawney offered a VIP, all-inclusive package to Groundhog Day 2010. Included in the package were a 3-night stay at the Bugs Nest Bed and Breakfast, Free admission to the Punxsutawney Weather Museum, tickets to the Groundhog Annual Banquet and VIP escort and front-row tickets to Groundhog Day at Gobblers Knob. Although Phil has made his Punxsutawney appearance for 123 years, it is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for anyone else.
