A stowaway groundhog is elevated to local icon

HOLLIDAYSBURG, Pa. (AP) — A Pennsylvania groundhog is making a name for himself for something other than predicting an early or late spring.

An intrepid varmint dubbed Colonel Custard — so named for the frozen custard shop and mini-golf outlet where he was discovered — was found stowed away with a passel of stuffed animals prizes in an arcade game two weeks ago. Players were maneuvering a mechanical claw to pluck toys from the glass game case when they suddenly realized a real live groundhog was blinking back at them.

The newly named colonel was found in Hollidaysburg, a good hour’s drive from Pennsylvania’s far more famous groundhog town, Punxsutawney, home to the weather-predicting groundhog Phil.

The owners and staff at The Meadows frozen custard shop aren’t being shy about promoting their own furry friend.

Staff and owners made T-shirts that read “Respect the Groundhog,” held the online naming campaign that drew an avalanche of responses and are working on more promotional ideas, such as naming one of their frozen treat flavors for Colonel Custard.

Meadows manager Lynn Castle said no one’s sure how the groundhog got in the building, but he must have clambered up the game chute into the machine.

“They were just staring at the stuffed animals in there getting ready to decide what to pick and saw the groundhog’s eyes blinking and realized there was something alive in there,” Castle said.

It took a village to set the varmint free. Employees first called the claw machine owners, who were too skittish to take the colonel on. Next came the police, who called the Pennsylvania Game Commission. Game wardens opened up the claw machine and released the groundhog into a nearby field, Castle said.

“It’s a good story that ended well,” Castle said. “He got set free, no one got bit.”