By Monty Siekerman
Got ghosts?

Hear strange sounds, see shadows, do objects move, are orbs flying about in your home, cellar, barn, or business?

Harold St. John and Becky McClendathen of the Toledo Ghost Hunters Society spoke to about 15 people at the Ada Public Library on Saturday afternoon. Most people in attendance believed in ghosts and the paranormal, according to a raise of hands.

St. John, who has been in the ghosting hunting business for 40 years, said the Toledo society has done several investigations in Hardin County, but he cannot give the addresses due to confidentiality. Although Ada has many old, large homes and Main Street business buildings are well over 100 years old, his group has not had a local investigation.

Investigations can take well over 100 hours to complete. He said that if demons or bad energy is found, the place can be blessed, cleansed, and the spirit evicted...all at no cost.

St. John said investigations can be scary. Your eye glasses may break, or you hear a name from the past, or you see an orb fly by. Is it paranormal or coincidence?

He said, “We take a serious, scientific approach to investigating paranormal activity through documentation, research, and with the use of state-of-the-art electronic equipment. During our investigations we collect data in several ways using photographs audio and video recordings, Infrared thermometers as well as logical explanations. We do not claim to have special abilities in the occult or psychic realm.”

St. John, who teaches Ghost Hunting 101 and 102 at Owens Community College, said, “Our techniques are based on science, not mysticism. We use a wide variety of scientific equipment to investigate, debunk, and gather potential evidence of paranormal activity.”  

During his Ada talk, he gave examples of paranormal activity in Athens, Toledo, and several smaller the Ohio towns. He said the old, Ohio River city of Athens ranks 13th in the world for paranormal activity due to a former insane asylum and TB ward there.

Two representatives from SPATS Paranormal Investigators in Lima were in attendance. For more about that group, check out their Facebook or Web page.For more information about the Toledo Ghost Hunters Society, check out their Facebook or Web page or call 734-224-0003. St. John also hosts a live ghost talk show and Web stream show, which are described on those sites.