Brevard’s beloved ambassador white squirrel, Pisgah Pete, will take the helm at the city’s February 2, 2019, Groundhog Day festivities in an event dubbed by local residents, “White Squirrel Day.”
The event’s organizers say the town’s cute furry mascot will predict whether there will be six more weeks of winter, and also predict the winner of the Super Bowl. For four years in a row, Pisgah Pete has accurately predicted the winner of the Vince Lombardi Super Bowl trophy.
“We are so proud of Pete and his truly amazing ability to predict the Super Bowl winners,” said Brevard Mayor Jimmy Harris. “The event has grown each year due to his outstanding accuracy.”
“Punxsutawney Phil has never been known for the accuracy in his predictions,” said Ann Sharpsteen, the event’s organizer. “Nor is he known for his cuteness, whereas, as you can see, Pete has cuteness in spades.”
Brevard Mayor Jimmy Harris will be on hand at the event to read a proclamation officially memorializing the day as “White Squirrel Day” in Brevard. 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).
The event will also be video-live-streamed on the newly launched White Squirrel Day website. News and information related to giveaways and promotions will be posted on the website leading up to the event.
A new initiative of The White Squirrel Institute has been launched this year to benefit Pisgah Pete and other white squirrels and area wildlife. Under the guidance of Director Katy Rosenberg, the organization has set out to raise funds for local licensed wildlife rehabilitators who rescue and save wildlife and return the animals to their natural habitat as quickly as possible. Donations can be made at whitesquirrelinstitute.org. The organization will also be present at the White Squirrel Day event where fans of Pisgah Pete will be able to “Adopt a White Squirrel” in order to support fundraising efforts.