For the fourth year in a row, Brevard’s beloved ambassador white squirrel, Pisgah Pete, will take the helm at the city’s Groundhog Day festivities in an event dubbed by local residents, “White Squirrel Day.”
Event organizers say the town’s cute furry mascot will outshine his world-famous weather-prognosticating counterpart, Punxsatawny Phil, by not only predicting whether there will be six more weeks of winter, but also answering additional questions from audience members.
“Punxsatawny Phil has fallen far short in recent years in accuracy of his predictions,” said Ann Sharpsteen, the event’s organizer and host of the “I Love Brevard” podcast on iTunes. “Pisgah Pete is happily picking up the slack and is far superior in his accuracy. He’s also far cuter than Phil, am I right?”
Brevard Mayor Jimmy Harris will be on hand at the event to read a proclamation memorializing the day as “White Squirrel Day.” WSQL radio personality Don Debiase will officiate the ceremony (top hat and all) during a live broadcast on the town’s “White Squirrel” radio station (102.1 FM, 1240 AM). Indeed, Brevardians take Groundhog Day (excuse me, White Squirrel Day) seriously.
“It’s going to be a fun time, just like it was last year. We want to invite the whole town to come out and join us,” said Brevard mayor Jimmy Harris.
The event begins at 9:00 am and takes place at Blue Ridge Bakery, 86 West Main Street, Brevard. Its purpose raise money and awareness for Brevard’s licensed wildlife rehabilitators. These hard-working volunteers rescue, save and nurse area squirrels back to health and do all of their work with no financial assistance, paying for medical supplies, medications, and food out of their own pockets. Anyone interested in donating funds to help, can write a check out to “Heart of Brevard White Squirrel Fund” and allof the funds will go to reimburse wildlife rehabilitators’ expenses.