The Pilot News - Tracking the truth, one haunt at a time

“We do hunts and investigations,” explained Rochester IGT Chapter Director Heather Garrett. “In an investigation, someone calls us and asks for our help in finding what’s going on. On a hunt, we’re going to a cemetery or rumored ‘haunted’ place to see what is there. In either case we’re trying to find out what the root of the situation is.”
Garrett and her small band of eight members are a relatively new group that started up a little more than two years ago, a spawn from the Northern chapter situated out of South Bend. With 16 chapters in Indiana alone (IGT has members in Chicago as well) the group that only officially began in July of 2000 is not only taking things seriously but are being taken seriously as well.
“Sure, we get people that think we’re nuts, or think we’re into witchcraft or voodoo or something, but that’s not the case,” Garrett explained. “Other times people will recognize or see me wearing a (IGT) T-shirt and they’ll walk up to me and start telling me about a problem they are having or ask about things they want to know ... where before they didn’t have anyone to talk to about it that didn’t think they were crazy. I enjoy talking to people and sharing experiences. In fact, this group, we are a club, but they’ve become like family to me.”
The close knit group is made up of members in a range of ages from all walks of life — some students, others working full time — from construction workers to wildlife park directors and they all share one thing: A need-to-know urge based on experiences they’ve personally had in their pasts.
Deanna Wicker, Roches-ter, is secretary of the local IGT and she explained that when she lived in Plymouth as a child, she remembered hearing chains rattling and footsteps, though no one was there in a home she shared with her family.
“There was a shed in the back of the house and there was a man there holding an axe,” she said. “He was standing there, and then he disappeared. I’d seen things in my peripheral vision, like people walking past that weren’t there. I’ve always been interested in this type of thing. Maybe I joined to prove to myself that it isn’t all fake and that I wasn’t crazy.”
Shelly Cummins of Roch-ester is another two-year member that is what is referred to as a “sympathetic empath.” “I feel things,” she said. “They encourage you to earn your reverends license because essentially, in haunting situations, you are counseling people. I’m currently working on a PHD in para-psychic science and holistic theology ministries. I have my B.A. in para-psychic science and I have five more classes to earn my Masters.”
She explained that she had joined the group because she has had the ability to smell dead relatives from the time she was small.
“You know family from they way they smell, a perfume they used to wear. I’ve seen apparitions and I’ve had prophetic dreams. I guess I joined to see what is really out there.”
Heather’s husband Kenny is the assistant director but he recalls no childhood memories; he only seeks the desire to spend time with his wife and to see proof of the unknown first hand. “I grew up in a very religious, strict family,” he said. “I got involved because of her but I’ve felt things ... gotten dizzy (while on hunts).”
Heather’s experiences have been more dramatic.
“I felt something walk through me,” she said. “It was a frigid, coldness that entered me and then when I told it to go, it went. My children have spoken to my dead father. Things have always been interesting for me.”
The other male members have personal stories to share about the unexplained.
Steve Pelszynski (and wife Marla) of Burkett, have been members for about sixth months. “I’ve been around ghosts since I was 16,” he said. “I’m 48 now so it’s been a while. I was going to start my own group but found this one. I saw an old man in my home and sometimes I smell cigar smoke. I’ve heard a woman humming ... it’s been all kind of things. I’ve had my bed jerked. I saw the ghost of a bum with my grandfather and then I’ve seen my grandfather — after he died. Our job is to initially disprove that something is haunted but I’ve been to some haunted places. In fact I live in one.”
Treasurer of the group, Mike Stephan, Tippecanoe, lives on land that was once abound with Native Indians. “I’m always looking to expand my knowledge and this is just another step of that,” he explained. “People of all faiths and with no faith, are a part of this organization. Yes, I’ve seen a full body apparition. I’ve seen animals that weren’t there. From my point of view, as a biologist, I’m looking at it (each situation) to debunk it. I’ve been to an investigation where the family felt they were being watched. But on the other side of the wall we found a fuse box, in another there was a large aquarium. High EMF (electromagnetic fields) can cause all kinds of weird feelings, headaches ... It’s about proving what is real and what is unexplained. We give them a questionnaire to fill out to get a history of the family and of the individuals involved.”
“We have tools to collect data,” said Garrett. “When we do an investigation we give them respect and privacy. We are a legitimate organization bonded with insurance.” Other tools include digital cameras, IR or infrared thermometers, voice recorders, walkie-talkies and of course flashlights, since most hunts are done in the middle of the night.
“The problem with the infrared thermometer that we have is that we’re measuring the temperature of objects, not the air in between,” said Stephan. “So, we can only tell if the temperature of an object changes. There are more expensive ones out there but we have to work on our fundraising for equipment like that.”
“You also have to learn about what you are finding,” explained Garrett. “With pictures, what looks like a mist may be moisture in the air, dirt, a bug. You always have to approach it as a skeptic.”
And what if they had find something that can’t be reasoned away? “We would go through our resources and find someone more qualified to do something about removing it,” said Stephan. “We have members of the clergy at our disposal,” added Garrett.
And that’s not all they do, they also volunteer at the Fulton County Museum and various cemeteries in the area doing cleanup and minor rehabilitation. “We try to give back,” Garrett said. “And once you’re a member you can go with other chapters on hunts in other towns and states.”
Becoming a member doesn’t cost much ($25) but there are a few requirements like a training course that one must successfully make it through in order to become a ghost tracker or to attend an investigation. “Some can be taken online, others we took in Gary,” Garrett said.
The group allowed this reporter to attend a hunt Oct. 18 at the Stringer Cemetery in Plymouth. Many members’ schedules were too tight yet some braved the cold to trudge through the dark in search of those that weren’t resting peacefully in the graveyard.
Before entering there were two important things I was taught. The first, to always get permission from the local authorities. “You want them to know when you are arriving and when you are leaving in case anything happens ... vandals come or something ... and then they know it wasn’t you,” Garrett explained. “Then you want to do a ‘psychic protection’ ritual.”
The small group held hands in the dark, listening to her directive and envisioned a bright light, fully encompassing each person. “Now is the time for you to say any prayers you want,” Garrett said afterward. “Everyone has their own thing. This is to protect you from anything bad so you remain unharmed. When we leave we’ll do something similar so we don’t take anything home.”
She laughed, “I know that sounds nuts but we didn’t one time and we had a woman who brought something in the car with her that she didn’t want. She jumped out and told it to go.” Slowly maneuvering around the gravestones and small fences that divided old family plots, the only sounds that night were passing cars and the quiet voices from the group.
Garrett used the IR thermometer to gauge temperatures and she and others continually took photos of the surrounding grounds. Stephan set out a digital voice recorder and asked questions, waiting for responses.
Later the EVPs readings determined no one answered the questions such as: “Is there anyone here with us?” “How old are you?” “What is your name?” “Do you want us here?”
“There was one time when we asked if they wanted us to go,” he explained. “I asked, ‘if you want us to leave, tell us to go.’ We heard it say ‘GO!’”
The night at the Stringer Cemetery was uneventful, something that the members didn’t see as a bad experience — one which also didn’t necessarily mean that there weren’t any spirits in the area. “There are residual hauntings,’ said Garrett, “when something happens and the spirit repeats the same action at the same time, the same date, day or night.” She also advised that the hour that is considered to be the most eventful for spirits that can’t find rest isn’t midnight as many would think. “It’s between three and four a.m. that’s considered to be the ‘witching hour.’”
More information may be found by calling Heather Garrett at 574-847-7038, or to learn more about the organization and membership requirements visit www.indianaghosts.org online.