Grundsow Lodsh Nummer Sivva (Groundhog Lodge Number Seven) celebrated their 68^th annual Fersommling last Thursday while the Ladies Groundhog celebrated

At the women's Fersommling, the Washline Gang made  up of, left to right, Joyce Wood, Joan Brunner, Merris  Ann Hoffman, Bea Miller, Sandy Bergey, and Lucy Kern, performed a collection of comedy, story telling, and gossip.

their annual Fersommling two days prior.

            The annual gatherings are held to help preserve the traditions, culture, and dialect of the German (Dietsch) immigrants who settled in the region more than two centuries ago and became referred to as the "Pennsylvania Dutch."

            Mostly farmers, these immigrants established homes, farms, churches, and schools that still survive.  At the Fersommlings attendees enjoy traditional foods like worsht un shunkelfleesch (sausage and ham), grumbaera filsel (potato filling), selaat mit hees schpeck brieh (lettuce with hot, bacon dressing), and more.

            The evenings are topped off with music, stories, and humor.

Ron G. Marks, (left) and Town and Country's  Schnitzel author and Lodsh Sivva's Schreiver Carl Arner share the story of Der Graemer (The Peddler) with attendees.

            There are 18 ""Lodshs" in Berks, Bucks, Carbon, Lebanon, Lehigh, Monroe, Montgomery, and Schuykill counties.