Washington Lands Elementary School kindergarten students dance the Pennsylvania Polka on Friday during the school’s Groundhog Day celebration. Like his groundhog counterpart in Punxsutawney, Pa., the school’s feline weather prognosticator, Wildcat Willy, did not see his shadow, forecasting an early arrival for spring this year. (Photo Provided)

MOUNDSVILLE — Washington Lands Elementary School students celebrated Wildcat Willy not seeing his shadow on Friday during the school’s annual Groundhog Day festivities.

The event was extra special this year as the students raised $510 for WVU Medicine Children’s Cure Kids Cancer. This was done at the request of Hannah Woods, a former Washington Lands Elementary student who is receiving treatment for a type of sarcoma.

Woods is a sophomore at John Marshall High School. Her mother Beth Woods is a teacher at Washington Lands.

Woods felt well enough to attend the event held on the school’s playground.

“She had a big smile on her face. She enjoyed coming back to Washington Lands Elementary School to see her old teachers and to be a part of the festivities,” said Tony Wood, communications coordinator for Marshall County Schools.

Principal Julie Sturgill said the celebration has been held annually for four years. It was the brainchild of school speech therapist Becky Hinerman, who owns Wildcat Willy.

“Each year we try to add something different. Last year we added the dance and this year we added a live accordion player,” she said. “Also this year the Wildcat Chorus sang the Pennsylvania Polka.”

The students did a folk dance of sorts to the song as well.

Sturgill noted the school community is such a close-knit one that it wanted to help one of its alums, Woods.