PALMERTON, Pa. — Butters was a squirrel who used to live in Palmerton Park.
Like many furry outdoor creatures, she liked to explore, climb and, of course, eat nuts.
She also was a people person and was especially fond of Ed Condon of Palmerton.
"I'd say it took about a month, and then I'd say she always popped up. Always noticed. Two months later, she was jumping up on me. She was sitting on my shoulder. A month later, I could pet her and everything. At that point, I would say she was tame cause that doesn't normally happen as far as I know," said Condon, Butter's friend.
Butters would come to Condon every day, eating out of Condon's hand, becoming the greatest of friends.
But just a short year into their relationship Butters died; she was hit by a car in October of 2019.
"I did actually find her. I took her home. I buried her. I made a memorial park in the backyard. So we do have her memorialized," Condon said. "There are a lot of people that want to add to it too. but now we're trying to memorialize her in the park."
Now some people may think it's a little nuts to memorialize a squirrel, but those who loved her say not only did they buy her a plaque, but an entire bench, to be placed in the borough's park.
Between an online petition with close to 1,000 signatures and a tattoo parlor backing her with tats in her honor, Butters was loved by many; even Peter Ramstine, who got this tattoo of the critter and so have 10 other people.
"It's a feel-good story. It's a squirrel that people. Hundreds of people would come to this park and feed and enjoy. People would come out of their way to come see Butters and feed butter," said Ramstine, of Catasauqua.
Borough members say the most recent request for the plaque was denied because it wasn't on the agenda.
The next meeting is scheduled for Thursday, January 27, where the council will vote on the plaque and bench in memory of Butters, Palmerton's most famous squirrel.
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