The Groundhog may have gained notoriety as a respected weather

Last Tuesday, the Women's Grundsow Lodsh held their annual dinner at the East Greenville Fire Comany.  A  covered dish dinner, prepared by attendents, was one  of the highlight.

prognosticator with a day named after the furry rodent every February.

            But, the big day, or should we say days, for the "Grundsow" (Groundhog) is the fourth Tuesday of April, and the fourth Thursday of April of every year.  Those are the annual days when the local Grundsow Lodshs celebrate with a Fersommeling (gathering) to share Pennsylvania-German heritage, dialect, culture, and customs.

            The lady Grundsows, headed up by Lucy Kern, is probably the only such Lodsh in the Commonwealth.  The men's Grundsow Lodsh Nummer Sivva (Groundhog Lodge Number 7) is headed up by Haptmon Paul Batman.  There are currently sixteen

Rawdsmen Lawrence Diehl (left) and Ray Eppler portray  newlyweds Oscar and  Gertrude in the skit "Dietsche Bull Bendt."

Lodsh's in Pennsylvania.

            This year's Fersommelings were highlighted by a skit performed by the "Rawdsmen" of Lodsh Sivva.

            Written by retired Upper Perkiomen School District Guidance Counselor and current Lodge Sivva Shreiver, Carl Arner, the play is titled "Dieschie Bull Bendt" (Dutch Bull Band).

            The play featured Ray Eppler as Gertrude and Lawrence Diehl as Oscar, newlyweds who are about to experience the uncomfortableness of friends disrupting their quiet night with the din and embarrassment of the bull band.

            As custom dictated, newly married couples were to have a social gathering to celebrate their nuptials.  Failure to do so would inspire their friends and neighbors organize into a bull band and make a not-so-pleasant, but all in good fun, visit to the newlyweds' home.

            Using pots, pans, horns, or anything that would roust the couple from their sleep, the members of the bull band would continue their noise-making until the couple greeted them and offered them a bit of liquid refreshment.

            Members of the Rawd provided sound effects and took up the roles of the bull band.

            The Fersommelings are annual events, always held on the fourth Tuesday and fourth Thursday of April, and the groups invite folks to attend and enjoy a night of learning and sharing a bit of the Pennsylfawnish-Dietsch culture.