Perryopolis news
Birthdays Erica Angelo celebrates her birthday Monday. Other birthdays this week include: Dolores Rectanus, Tuesday; Nedra Giovanelli, Jonathan Carson, Bruce Greene and Regis Geller, Wednesday; Chris Tisot, David Garee, Eleanor Clay and Gina Dreucci, Thursday; Anthony McCune, Stanley Matras, Michelle Markinack, Friday; and Marcia Ott, Saturday.
Reminders
n Saturday – Men’s Christian Fellowship breakfast at the First Christian Church.
n Feb. 12 – Registration for Perryopolis Girls Softball from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Perryopolis Borough Building. Bring the birth certificate.
n March 6 – Bunco at the Frazier Community Library from 2 to 5 p.m. Donation for this event is $20. Call the library for more information at 724-736-8480.
n Perryopolis Food Bank, second Thursday of the month. Call Helen Coldren 724-736-2713 for information.
n Frazier Class of 1991 is gathering e-mail addresses from classmates for a 20th-year reunion for 2011. Information can be e-mailed to frazierclassof91@hotmail.com.
n Perryopolis Senior Travel Club information can be obtained by calling Brad Baker at 724-736-8328.
n Perryopolis Senior Center needs drivers for the Meals on Wheels. Call the center at 724-736-2250 to volunteer.
n Star Junction United Methodist Kid’s Club will not be held during February.
JTYO signups
The Jefferson Township Youth Organization will hold its registration for the 2011 baseball/softball season on Monday from 6 to 8 p.m. and on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Jefferson Township municipal building.
Youth Wrestling
Frazier Youth Wrestling will hold a spaghetti dinner on Thursday at the Sons of Italy, Perryopolis from 3:30 to 6 p.m. Tickets are $7 for adult dinners and $4 for child dinners. Take-outs will be available. Bring your own container. For more information, call Ann Johnson at 724-736-2366.
Groundhog Day
Crabby remembers when she had an exchange student from the Czech Republic and tried to explain Groundhog Day to her. It wasn’t pretty. Explaining why we carved a pumpkin at Halloween had been bad enough. If only we had been on the Internet back then in 1996.
According to Crabby’s research, Groundhog Day is actually the celebration of Candle Mass, which marks baby Jesus’ presentation at the temple when he was 40 days old, as required by Jewish law.
In old England, they said that “If Candlemas be fair and bright, Come winter, have another flight; If Candlemas bring clouds and rain, Go winter, and come not again.” They talked funny back then.
In America, the early German settlers brought the celebration of Groundhog’s Day to Pennsylvania and it was first celebrated at Gobbler’s Knob on Feb. 2, 1887. This year will bring the groundhog’s 124th prediction.