Huck’t eich bei! ‘Sis blendi doi!

This means, Sit down! There is plenty here!

And there certainly was plenty of food, PA Dutch culture, language and music inside Polk Township Volunteer Fire Department on Friday as Monroe County Groundhog Lodge #6 members held their 73rd annual banquet, with 185 men and boys in attendance.

“It’s our big night of the year,” said Carl Heckman, the lodge fuder maishder (banquet coordinator), as he welcomed attendees.

On the stage in front, Mike and Linda Hertzog tuned their instruments and checked their amplifier. Their musical styles range include Bluegrass Country, Gospel and Oldies.

“We can talk a little PA Dutch and sing in it,” said Mike Hertzog. “We love to sing songs like ‘Folsom Prison Blues’ and other Johny Cash songs in PA Dutch.”

Sammi, the lodge’s stuffed groundhog mascot, had a front-row seat on the table next to the stage. Sammi is one of the few females invited to the banquet.

“Traditionally, groundhog lodges are male-only events. By contrast, the term ‘fersommlinge’ is often used to refer to Deitsch-language meetings that include both men and women,” according to an article on www.research.library.kutztown.edu.

Groundhog lodge meetings started in 1934 in Northampton.

Ten-year-old Wolfgang Rader and his 7-year-old brother, Hendrik Rader, were two of the younger participants Friday evening.

“This is my fifth year attending. I can speak some PA Dutch,” said Wolfgang Rader.

He had a big smile on his face when his grandfather, Jack Rader, said the boys know more PA Dutch than he does.

“I am here to eat and listen to others speak PA Dutch,” said their grandfather, who represents the 176th legislative district in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.

The boys can speak English, German and PA Dutch and are interested in its culture.

“Their mother is German. We speak German and English at home,” said their dad, Ben Rader.

At 6 p.m., lodge President Bruce George stepped up to the podium to welcome everyone and lead them in three verses of “America” and the Pledge of Allegiance, which were sung and said in PA Dutch.

He then asked for a moment to honor all those present who have served in the military.

Lodge member Brian Haas led a moment of silence for those military members who died, and then gave the prayer and dinner blessing in PA Dutch.

The lodge leaders sat at the front table, wearing matching dress shirts.

“We just got new these new shirts,” said George.

The tan collared button-down shirts have the lodge’s name and a groundhog emblem above the chest pocket on the left side.

The fire company’s Ladies Auxiliary served the meal family-style, with plates of turkey and sausage, dishes of candied carrots and baskets of rolls being passed from one person to another.

Of course, there was plenty of lattwarrick un schmierkees (apple butter and cottage cheese) to smear on their bread or just put on the side of their plate.

Red buckets were in the center of the tables by the soda pitchers and coffee creamers.

“They are penalty buckets for speaking too much English,” said Robert Andrews, the lodge wedder barichda (weather forecaster) and who has taught PA Dutch locally at firehouses and churches.

This is where attendees used to put coins and dollar bills when they accidentally spoke English instead of PA Dutch. These days, however, fewer people can carry on a conversation in PA Dutch beyond pleasantries, the weather and perhaps a few cuss words.

Many men prefer to give one flat donation and speak only in English.

The lodge uses the money in the buckets for donations to the community. Last year, they donated $300 to VALOR and $200 to the West End Food Pantry. Each year, they try to find different local charities to give donations.

February is its busiest month, with its Groundhog Day festivities on Feb. 2 and its banquet on the last Friday of the month.

After dinner, Andrews gave a weather forecast in PA Dutch. He said it was the same one he made for the 30-some attendees who gathered behind the former Cherry’s diner in Kresgeville this Groundhog’s Day.

“Spring will not come early, but will be right on time. We won’t get a lot of snow, but get ice and cold weather with lots of wind,” he said.

The evening continued with strawberries and ice cream for dessert, music and conversations. At the end of the night, Sammi returned to her closet space in George’s home.

She and all the attendees had a guht owet — good evening.