End Note: Sir Walter Wally

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.

So goes the beginning of the Groundhog Song, penned by North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences staffers. It’s the cheeky opener to the museum’s 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. It’s a fun event that’s 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 they’re expecting a crowd to make groundhog hats, learn about hibernation and pose for photos with Wally. “That being said, Wally is about 58 percent accurate—which is higher than another, more famous groundhog, who is only about 39 percent accurate,” notes Wouk. And, of course, you’ll be expected to sing along, to the tune of I Have a Little Dreidel. But don’t worry, says Wouk, “We pass out the lyrics!” —Ayn-Monique Klahre