South Florida Sun-Sentinel (Sunday)
Spring is already here
Punxsutawney Phil’s prediction comes true
Punxsutawney Phil may have predicted an early spring for much of the country that’s been enduring a deep-freeze, but city officials and businesses stressed springlike weather is already here during the
15th annual Groundhog Day on Hollywood Beach.
About 150 people showed up for a breakfast on the Broadwalk, and to watch the revered rodent on TV, before splashing into the
60-degree ocean waters at Indiana Street about 7:35 a.m. Saturday.
“It’s exhilarating,” said a dripping wet Mayor Josh Levy. “You jump in the water and it’s just an awesome feeling.”
Tom Schneider and his wife drove to South Florida from Toledo, Ohio, where it’s just a little bit colder.
“It’s minus 31 with the wind chill, so we escaped the cold,” he said, with a laugh. “That water was great, just great. I stayed in for quite a while.”
The city’s piggybacking off Punxsutawney Phil’s annual day is designed to lure more tourists to Hollywood. It also raises money for the city’s lifeguard team to travel to competitions across the country and around the world, said Bruce Wilkie, the city’s beach safety chief.
“This is huge,” he said. “We have to pay for our transportation there. We have to pay for transporting our equipment there, our boat, our boards, tents, so it helps a lot.”
The Hollywood lifeguards get some money from the city, but the donations this event generates has
paid dividends.
“Last year we were fifth overall in the small team category, but out of the eight people that we bring, we have six of those that are national champions in different events,” he said.
This year’s event raised an estimated $3,000, said Debra Case, one of the sponsors and owner of the Ocean Alley restaurant.
“They’re tremendous winners,” she said. “They’ve gotten lots of national recognition and that brings good advertising for [Hollywood].”
The city even has its own Hollywood Beach Bums Chapter of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club.
“I think it takes some ex-patriots from the north, from Massachusetts and the like, that end up coming here to snowbird or retire in South Florida,” Levy said. “I guess the customs from up north are migrating down here.”