By Shelby Stewart-Soldan
Staff Writer
Groveland Twp.— On Feb. 29, 2024 Dr. Jay Stark celebrated his 14th birthday.
“My brain is still that of about a 14 year old,” said Stark, owner of Brandon Chiropractic Center 125 N. Ortonville Road. “I actually turn 56 this year.”
Stark is joined by about 205,000 American ‘leaplings’ or ‘leapers’ born on Feb. 29—and only celebrate their birthday once every four years. Since 2024 is a leap year, Feb. 29 is the extra day added every fourth year to help fix the problem that while our calendar year is 365 days, the solar year — the amount of time it takes the Earth to circle the sun — is 365.24219 days
Stark was born Feb. 29, 1968—so since thus netted him just 14 birthdays.
“Actually, as a child I would get a birthday party on Feb. 28 then again on March 1,” he said. “It’s weird. Leap year is weird just because you get a birthday every four years, but it’s not really any different.”