As we prepare for Sunday’s Big Game, Livingston County's resident weather-guessing woodchuck will take center stage earlier in the day for her 21st Ground Hog Day prediction.

A ceremony and events are planned Sunday to see if Woody from the Howell Conference & Nature Center will see her shadow or embrace the possibility of an early spring. John “J.C.” Carlson, the center’s chief executive officer, was joined by the center’s new Wildlife Director Laura Butler on WHMI’s Mike & Jon in the Morning to talk about what’s in store for those who show up Sunday morning at the Nature Center on Triangle Lake Road in Marion Township. Festivities will begin at 8am with a kids costume contest dressed in their best winter or spring costumes. Registration for the costume contest is 7:30 – 7:45am. Woody’s prediction will take place at 8:30am with a free continental breakfast to follow, while supplies last.

Woody’s reputation remains unrivaled, having correctly forecast the length of winter 15 out of 20 times. Although the more famous Punxsutawney Phil claims to be correct in his predictions 100% of the time, a check of the records shows it’s more in the 40% range. Woody also made her annual Super Bowl pick while in the WHMI studios and went for the Chiefs to beat the 49ers. When it comes to the big game, Woody is 8 for 13, better than most Las Vegas odds-makers. For the Super Bowl pick, the Nature Center did something different this year, with students at Shepherd of the Lakes Lutheran School in Brighton and Rosebrook Child Development Center in Brighton creating special paper-mache footballs with the Kansas City and San Francisco logos. Woody ended up choosing Kansas City, whose football was made by Shepherd of the Lakes Lutheran School in Brighton.



You can find complete details about Sunday’s celebration through the link below. (JK)