Hi All,

   My name is Patty D. and I would like to share some of my adventures since joining the Ghost Research Foundation (GRF).  I want to start by telling you that I am not a flake or a life-long psychic.  In fact, my husband, Dan and I are what, the group refer to as bricks--someone who does not feel anything psychically or physically on a haunted site.  I have always been curious about the paranormal, though, and I had read some of Patty Wilson’s books.  When Dan and I had a chance to join the group I really wanted to, and Dan agreed to come along just to humor me. 
    I started doing investigations with the GRF in November of 2005.  Dan and I did our first investigation at the Four D’s Lounge and Bowling Alley in Altoona, PA.  He didn’t believe that there was anything to all of this ghost stuff, but after that first night he realized that there is something strange going on.  He is never cold and that night something literally chilled him to the bone. While behind the pinsetters we were walking when something said something.  To me it sounded like you are not supposed to be here, to Dan it was telling us to get out of the area.  He looked at me I looked at him and I said let’s go we both started to run, he stopped suddenly, I guess he realized he was running.  Although he stopped I kept going, this is a reason you should never be behind me. 
   The next investigation we went to was at the Altoona’s Railroad Museum.  That night there were three other women with Dan and me.  We were working near the Test Lab when we captured an EVP.  The five of us was sitting on the bench quietly when we captured the voice.  As we sat there trying to quietly work, we were a bit annoyed that someone on the fourth floor was not showing us the same courtesy, but later that night I would understand why.  There was a lot of commotion on the floor above us and later we were told the entity was agitated around this same time. 
    That night, lying in bed listening to my tape player, I heard something that we did not hear sitting there.  Let me tell you, those earphones flew off my head. 
   The next day my husband listened to the EVP and this was one of the crucial turning points for him, because he was there and couldn’t explain where this strange voice came from.  We both knew exactly where we were in the museum when we captured that odd voice.  We had been near the old telephone operators switchboard on the third floor and I had asked” Are you a telephone operator?” I couldn’t believe that we got an intelligent response.  EVP! It sounds to me like something is telling us to “Get Out” Now, isn’t that creepy?
    Another couple from the group, Norma and Gary, invited us to the Fulton House in McConnellsburg one Saturday night.  It is a charming old building that has served the community for many years, and the building is still part of the town’s civic life today.  We were lucky to have an opportunity to work there.
   During the investigation Dan and Norma had gone downstairs to the basement to work, but before they left they asked if I would be okay.  Sadly, I have to admit that I am a rather spooked spook investigator.   I am afraid of my shadow, but I am getting better at bravely hanging out in haunted sites.  Dan and Norma were leaving me alone and that was why they were checking on me.
   After they left me, I was sitting alone with all the lights on.  I had my recorder running and I said aloud, “I am not alone often so if you want to do something, now would be the time.”
    As soon as I said this, I heard three distinct footsteps on the cellar stairs. Now Norma and Dan had left about 3 minutes earlier down the same stairs, so I assumed that the footsteps were from Dan returning to me.  I yelled “Dan, is that you?”  There was no answer so I got up to look and there is no one there!  This was recorded by Norma’s recorder which she left with me it is distinct steps.
    Thank God, Gary came in just then because I would have been out in the car waiting, otherwise.  I did mention that I get spooked easily.
   On the second trip to the Fulton House I got very sick in the keg room in the basement.  There are the remnants of an old bar in the basement and I was working that area on this occasion.  I had to go upstairs to get away from whatever was making me ill.  As soon as I got to the top of the stairs, I started feeling better.  We could not find any physical reason why I should have suddenly been struck by illness.  When I returned to the basement later, I felt fine.
   Perhaps one of the things I enjoy the most about the GRF, are the places where we go.  GRF has been working on a research project in North Carolina for several years now and we returned to Raleigh, NC in the summer of 2007 to continue work there.  The building we were working in is not ever open to ghost hunting groups so this was quite a privilege.
   I was on the second floor; in a room they call the Yankee Bar Room, when I asked, “Are there any Yankees in here?” I then said, “Dan and I are Yankees… I think” and what I got was something saying “sure you are” in a Southern Drawl. I couldn't clean it up enought to put on the site though.
   On our way home from Raleigh my traveling companions and I decided to stop in Gettysburg, PA for a bit of a ghost hunt.  It was June 24th and we arrived around 9:30 p.m.  Dan and I were with Linda I. and Charley H. when we stopped at Spangler Springs.  We had no idea it would be such an active evening but I would get two EVP’s there. 
   The first EVP would turn out to be near a fire pit that I had spotted.  I had asked Linda I. why would it was there. I had no idea that I had gotten an unearthly response. The evp when put on the laptop sound was distorted but on the tapeplayer it was a distinct shot.
   Afterwards we went to Tommy’s Pizza and I was listening to this conversation on tape,
   I had everyone listen to the tape and all four of us verified that on the tape they heard the same sound that I had.  None of us had heard those words at the time the EVP was captured.  The first EVP would turn out to be near a fire pit that I had spotted.  I had asked Linda I. why would it was there. I had no idea that I had gotten an unearthly response. The evp when put on the laptop sound was distorted but on the tapeplayer it was a distinct shot.
   Also, that evening I got an EVP2 that sounded like a car crashing and someone telling me their name.  I have to do some research to find out if there was ever an accident there and see what this persons name was, although they could be two separate incidents.  I think he is telling me his name is Luke.
   One day I think Patty Wilson might give me an award for most unique use of an EMF detector.  I utilize my EMF detector as sort as a tool for the energies to respond with.  We have noted that for some reason the type of EMF detector I use seems to be easy for spirits to manipulate.  We first noticed this at the Fulton House when I had laid it on the table while we took a break.  It began to go off for no apparent reason and Patty Wilson began to ask questions.  We established that when it went off that meant, “Yes” and when it was silent it would be interpreted as “No.”  Strangely, the machine seemed to respond to the questions asked intelligently.  It indicated that “It” was tired of us and wanted us to go.  Not flattering but intriguing.
   Perhaps one of my strangest encounters with an EMF meter happened when we visited the Grand Midway Hotel in Windber, PA.  My husband found a room with a coffin in, I went into the room while my husband stood at the doorway.  I began asking yes and no questions and my emf would seem to answer me.  I asked he belonged here- No.   Do you miss your home- Yes.  I asked if it was a woman nothing- No, then are you a man it flashed – Yes.  You get the picture.
   I also had had intelligent responses with this particular EMF meter at the Central Park Complex (old Glosser Building) in Johnstown and at the Old Cambria County Prison in Ebensburg.  We have recorded the detector actually beeping what seem to be answers to my questions at those sites.  Now I want to stress that we have looked for all rational explanations.  Other detectors were laid near this one and they did not go off.  There were no ambient fields detected by this or other machines.  The machine was checked for calibration against machines known to be working properly and we noted the times and conditions when this occurred.  No one had turned off or on any electrical equipment near the machine. 
   I have to say that joining GRF has been a great experience. I love the folks and the sites and the work is interesting.  I love to get EVP’s and I have learned a lot.  Patty and Linda I. have informed me that to get EVP as clear as some I have gotten the spirit has to be really close to my tape player.  On one hand that is exciting but on the other hand, I think that I may just place the recorder farther away from myself.  They tease me about be the biggest chicken ghost hunter ever.  In all honesty, I am a chicken but I am getting better and that is because I have confidence in the group of people I am with.  They are the greatest bunch of people to document the paranormal with, and witnessing the knowledge they have with the paranormal just blows my mind.  I am just glad that they allow me to join in on the investigations and learn more about Ghost Hunting.

Thanks for reading my story
Patty D.