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Page 1: The Southwest Ghost Hunter’s Association (SGHA Inc Southwest Ghost Hunters... · Also be aware that SGHA does not employ the uses of psychics, mediums or sensitives. There is one
Page 2: The Southwest Ghost Hunter’s Association (SGHA Inc Southwest Ghost Hunters... · Also be aware that SGHA does not employ the uses of psychics, mediums or sensitives. There is one

The Southwest Ghost Hunter’s Association (SGHA Inc.) is a research corporation. The objects of this corporation are to scientifically and without prejudice explore the realm of the supernatural with a special emphasis on the topics of ghosts, haunting, poltergeists and life after death. To support this mission, SGHA also conducts tours, ghost hunting retreats and other venues to raise capital to financially support the corporation.

History The Southwest Ghost Hunter’s Association was formed in 1984 by Cody Polston. From the beginning, SGHA was composed of both believers and skeptics. Our goal has always been to research the paranormal, without bias, and attempt to solve the mystery of if ghosts exist or not using scientific method. A dchallenge because that has never really been done before.

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Our hypotheses are formed from the data and experiences we have acquired over the past several decades. Being a member in SGHA can be a rewarding experience. You get to see places that you may have never thought of visiting. We often get access to

restricted areas where the public is not allowed. However membership in SGHA is like anything else, you will get as much out of it as you put into it.

Important things to consider before applying for membership/employment in SGHA

The following eight questions were designed to aid prospective new members in their decision on applying for membership in the SGHA. Please consider them carefully. 1.) Do we have an operational charter near you? SGHA has two operational charters. The home charter is based in Albuquerque and our Texas charter is based out of Austin. Members must be close enough to attend meetings of one of the charters. 2.) Do you have enough available time? SGHA predominately conducts ghost hunts, investigations and research on the weekends. When we travel to locations outside of the metro-Albuquerque (or Austin) areas, we will often stay at the location overnight. Generally speaking, each charter performs at least one hunt or investigation every month. In addition, SGHA members are required to attend at least 75% of the monthly meetings, so half of your weekend time for the month could easily be absorbed just to attend the meetings, hunts or investigations. Often, it may require more time than this. Being involved with SGHA requires a considerable amount of your spare time, especially on the weekends. Additionally, SGHA performs various tours and venues and members are expected to participate in some of them. A member can also make a nice amount of money if they chose to participate in as many corporate events as possible.

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The decision on what you want to do is up to you although our by-laws require you to work at least 10 hours annually. 3.) Can you afford it? SGHA does not charge membership dues. However, when we travel, the expense often comes out of our own pockets. The cost of hotels, meals and gas are a major consideration. We do what we can to keep the costs low (car-pooling, sharing hotel rooms, ect.) but it does require some cash (you have to eat!). There are hunts and investigations performed locally but the frequency of these activities vary. There have been times where we have gone 6 months without a local investigation. 4.) Do you have reliable internet access? SGHA coordinates and plans our activities through a member's only section of our forum. Members need to check the forum at least three times a week to keep track of what's going on and what is being planned. If you are unable to do this, the odds are that you will fall to the wayside and eventually have your membership revoked for nonparticipation. 5.) Do you have initiative? Being in SGHA requires initiative. We do not know your schedule and what activities you are able to participate in. It is a member's responsibility to check the forum and activity participate in the group. 6.) How well can you handle "science"? SGHA is a research association. As such we are hypothesis based, meaning that we are attempting to prove or disprove various hypotheses that we have developed about "ghosts". This requires that a member be knowledgeable of the sciences involved in our research in order to understand what we are looking for and why. If science bores you, then you will probably be confused and perhaps even frustrated after a while. If nothing else, you must be able to learn and obtain at least a basic level of understanding of the sciences involved. Also be aware that SGHA does not employ the uses of psychics, mediums or sensitives. There is one catch to this in our by-laws (if the psychic is brought in independently by a third party). Questionable methods, such as dowsing rods and Ouija boards are also forbidden by our by-laws. 7.) Can you be objectionable? Everyone has belief systems, whether you believe in ghosts and an afterlife or not. Most often belief systems may surface due to religious belief (or lack of thereof). Belief systems are confining and are a direct violation of the Scientific method. Researching the paranormal in a true scientific context requires an individual to step way from their belief system and look at things with an open mind. Some incidents are explainable, others are not. 8.) Do you work well with others? You have to be a team player.

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Still interested? If after considering the above questions, you still desire to become a member of SGHA, you need to go to our internet forum (www.sgha.net) and register. (It may take up to 24 hours to activate your account. Sorry, but this is done to prevent spammers from coming onto our board). Find the folder in the forum titled "Want to join" and post your interest there. Our Operations Officer will get back to you concerning the details of the next "New member's info meeting". He will discuss other important considerations and give you a questionnaire to fill out. Answer the questionnaire to the best of your ability because your answers will matter in the final decision to grant membership / employment. Structure The first thing that is important to understand is that SGHA has two levels, Corporate and Association. Corporate simply describes how SGHA works as a business to raise money. The Directors of SGHA are the owners of the business. The business involves the planning, execution, and maintenance of tours, special events, lectures and so forth. Association is the term that we use to refer to the general membership of SGHA. SGHA is structured in a tier system. The Corporate Directors own the Association and are on the top tier. They have executive oversight over all state charters. The middle tier is composed of the State Charters. The State charters are managed by the State Coordinator and appointed Staff Officers. The lower tier is reserved for SAGE (Scientific Analysis of Ghostly Energetics). This is a sub-group of SGHA and is composed of specialists that analyze the data gathered by the Charters. State Coordinator The State Coordinator is a manager that presides at all meetings of this charter and preserves order therein. He/she shall appoint all committees and shall also have the right to serve on all committees by virtue of his office. He/she acts as a general manager of the entire Charter and publishes, edits and copyrights findings and publications of the Charter and forwards them to the Directors. Each Charter contains Staff Officers that are appointed by the State Coordinator to assist the operation of the Charter. The Staff Officers of each Charter shall consist of a Administrative Officer, Strategic Officer, Operations Officer, Logistics Officer, SHIELD Team Leader and Research Officer. Staff Officers

The Staff Officers are the managerial center for all SGHA charter operations. Eligibility to hold an appointed office shall be governed solely by the State Coordinator and the provisions of the By-Laws. All officers are appointed by the State Coordinator or the Directors. Staff officers have a slightly higher ranking than members and are offered some special privileges such as access to sensitive information and priority on investigation schedules.

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Administrative Officer The main duty of the Administrative Officer is to take meeting minutes at all meetings. This would also include later typing out the same and seeing that the State Coordinator and Staff Officers receive a copy. He/she also assists the State Coordinator at meetings with the distribution of materials, i.e. application forms, flyers and to assist new applicants with questions. The Administrative Officer maintains a record of all members of the Charter, active or otherwise, in good standing with their last known address. Said record shall not be opened to inspection of any member except as and to the extent required by statue. The Administrative Officer also assists with any administrative duties assigned to them by the State Coordinator. Operations Officer The Operations Officer is responsible for coordinating and recruiting new members to the SGHA Charter. This includes coordinating monthly General Body meetings, overseeing the committee structure, and maintaining list services for events and for members. He/she also assists in locating haunted locations for investigations and research. The Operations Officer is responsible for finding haunted locations for ghost hunts, investigations and research. He/she ensures that SGHA's By-laws, regulations and protocols are being complied with at all times and reports directly to the State Coordinator. This Officer also assists the State Coordinator in recruiting new members, area research, submitting newspaper clippings, unusual photographs and other forms of evidence and information. He/she organizes and executes all scheduled investigations and coordinates all media events through the Strategic Officer. Strategic Officer The Strategic Officer is in charge of a Charter’s public relations and acts as a liaison between the Corporate and Association elements of SGHA. Additionally, this officer is responsible for locating the manpower from the SGHA membership for tours and other corporate events. The Strategic Officer also where needed during this process (writing press releases, contact potential customers through mailing lists, ECT). Research Officer

The Research Officer serves as Chief Scientist for SGHA Charter. He or she is responsible for experimental design, research coordination, data analysis, statistical hypothesis testing, submission for peer review, and final publication of all scientific research carried out under the state charter, whether conducted by the membership or the staff of SGHA, Inc.

The Research Officer is responsible for all research conducted for the charter throughout the year. He or she coordinates with other members of the SAGE Executive Board to assure that meaningful and productive research is completed and used in decision making. In addition, the Research Officer acts as a historian, which includes, but is not limited to, ensuring that a scrapbook of past events is up to date. The Research Director is responsible for supervising any ad hoc committees assigned to him or her.

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The Research Officer researches and investigates new leads as directed by the State Coordinator and reports any findings to the State Coordinator without exception using a Report Form. He/she assists other members on scheduled ghost hunts and investigations. This Officer presides at any meetings in the absence of the State Coordinator or as directed by the Directors. This officer also has top seniority over the Staff Officers and any other Active Members in the Charter.

Logistics Officer

The Logistics Officer is responsible for keeping an accurate inventory of equipment and instrumentation of the charter and performs routine maintenance. He/she assists the Operations Officer in training members on proper use and maintenance of equipment and instrumentation.

This Officer submits a monthly report, verbal or written, to the State Coordinator detailing the state and readiness of equipment and instrumentation. Identify problems and trouble shoot. He/she also researches new equipment and potential upgrades to present instrumentation and advises the State Coordinator on these items.

SHIELD Team Leader

The SHIELD team leader manages the Charter’s unit of skeptics. He/she reports directly to the State Coordinator which is turn reports directly to the CEO. This officer assembles data in all forms and passes that information up to the State Coordinator.

He/she also assists in gathering research material for planned ghost hunts/ investigations authorized by the State Coordinator and/or the Directors. He/she organizes and conducts meetings of SHIELD members within the charter and assists the Operations Officer in training involving SHIELD techniques. This officer may also organize and execute SHIELD investigations of private residences (if tasked by charter) and reports all findings to the State Coordinator.

SGHA Membership and Employment

Section 1. Subject only to the specific conditions stated hereinafter, any person of good character who has an interest in the paranormal shall be eligible for membership at the discretion of the Directors.

Section 2. Anyone wishing to become more involved with the organization may become a Member by subscribing as either a Sustaining Member or a Contributing Member. All members are considered WAS employees (work as needed). All sustaining members are required to work or provide at least 10 credit hours or points (3 of which must be credit hours) annually to retain their sustaining status.

Sustaining members are active investigators that are assigned to a state charter. This requires a certain amount of commitment and responsibilities but a sustaining member has more privileges. Contributing members are members that contribute to the corporation on an occasional basis. Applicants for both types of memberships must meet the following requirements:

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A. All Members must be at least twenty-one (21) years of age and have a valid ID or driver's license prior to joining. Exceptions to this rule may be granted by the CEO.

B. He/she must fill out an Application for Membership/Employment. This also contains a questionnaire which is used as an aid in determining membership eligibility. The applicant is then given an interview by SGHA's Operation's Officer and at least one other Staff Officer.

C. He/she must attend a brief ten (10) minute one-on-one interview with the State Coordinator or appointed officer prior to acceptance in the SGHA. Applications for membership are considered by the Staff Officers and voted into a 6 month probationary membership by a majority vote.

D. He/she must attend all training classes and pass SGHA's basic training level as outlined in our training program.

E. He/she must attend no fewer than 75% of all meetings, unless a waiver is granted by the State Coordinator.

Section 3. No person shall be eligible for membership if:

A. He/she refuses to follow established protocols of the SGHA Inc.

B. There is reason to believe that he/she may not adhere to and abide by the By-Laws and our rules and regulations.

C. He/she advocates race, religious, sexual orientation or class hatred.

D. His/her attendance to meetings, Field Excursions, Special or Haunted House investigations falls below 50% in any given six (6) month period. This applies only to Sustaining memberships.

Section 4. Your Active Membership can be permanently revoked if:

A. Divulging privileged or confidential information gathered at investigations with anyone outside the SGHA circle. Information that is confidential will either be posted as such, on the top line of a message or post, or verbally communicate by a Staff Officer.

B. Attempting to undermine the credibility of the organization in anyway.

C. Violating any portion of SGHA's by-laws or regulations.

D. A member’s attendance or performance falls below par.

Section 5. Other membership points:

A. The Directors and State Coordinators have the exclusive right to deny Sustaining or Contributing Membership to anyone who does not meet with the high standards set forth by the SGHA.

B. All Members are given a trial period of six months and evaluated at the end of that time. It is then up to the State Coordinator whether or not the said member will be invited to renew as a Sustaining Member. Renewal points taken into consideration are: attendance to monthly meetings, Field

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Excursions, Investigations, Research, ability to learn and grow with the SGHA, neatness of appearance, willingness to contribute to the association as a whole and other general membership practices. The president's decision must be supported by a majority vote from the Staff Officers.

C. The State Coordinator is not obligated in anyway to retain any individual that doesn't meet with the above mentioned criteria and others deemed necessary by the State Coordinator.

Membership Activities

A. All Active Members are required to attend all meetings especially those prior to regularly scheduled Field Excursions or eligibility to the same is void.

B. Investigations and Research projects will be offered only to the Sustained and Contributing Members whose attendance to Field Excursions and meetings is better than average and whom showed promise at past Field Excursions and have attended at least one Field Excursion in the past. SGHA does not pay or cover the costs for its members to participate in hunts or investigations. Incurred expenses are paid by the members volunteering to participate in the outing.

C. All Members who attend Field Excursions, Ghost hunts, Research projects or Out-of-State Research Trips assume full responsibility and agree to relieve the SGHA Inc. and the Directors of any liability as far as personal injury, legal action or anything deemed as an Act Of God(s).

D. SGHA and its members are not allowed to use psychics or mediums in investigations. An exception can be made in ghost hunts but only if the psychic is brought in by a third party or authorized by a Director.

E. All outings are for SGHA Members only! Please do not bring wives, friends, or relatives unless permission is granted directly by the President or the State Coordinator assigned to the case.

F. All information obtained during SGHA sponsored outings should remain within the SGHA circle and not shared with anyone not already a member. SGHA holds exclusive copyright of any material presented, investigated or obtained during or afterwards. This would include: photographs, video or audiotapes, and research reports and any other data generated by SGHA.

G. All Members are expected to arrive on time with the proper equipment discussed at the previously scheduled meeting.

H. If a member cannot make a scheduled Field Excursion, Investigation or Research project, it shall be his/her responsibility to phone in advance to the President or person in charge of the investigation. In the cases of an emergency, some notification as soon as possible would be appreciated.

I. Members are responsible for checking the forum regularly. The forum is our operations center and is where we announce upcoming ghost hunt, investigations, meetings and events.

Corporate Activities

As stated earlier, corporate events are how SGHA raises the money to buy equipment and financially support our research. These are also the events where members can earn money. Before we can explain how Corporate and the Association interact, we need to define a few terms for you.

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Corporate Ghost Hunt/ Event These are our tours, ghost hunting retreats, special events and the like. Credit Hours Credit hours are how Corporate pays you for doing a Corporate Ghost Hunt/ event. You can have these paid to you (direct deposit or we cut you a check) or you can keep them in reserve for “Trade in Kind” (you accumulate enough hours and SGHA pays for your motel room on an out of state ghost hunt for example). Credit hours are also the way that we determine who goes on the cool ghost hunts if space is limited. Also, keep in mind that if you take the money, we do have to take out taxes, social security, ect. For example; if 94Rock comes out with an all expenses paid trip to Alcatraz but it is limited to only 8 people, the folks with the highest accumulated credit hours for that fiscal year are the ones that get first dibs at the gig. Credit Points Credit points are the same as credit hours but without the money. Basically it’s a way to give kudos for a good job or something else that a member does for SGHA. Site Manager All of our events have a site manager. This is member who has volunteered their time to set up the event and manages it. Anyone can be a site manager (we’ll tell you how later on). Site Managers receive 15% of the events net income.

How corporate ghost hunt/events work

Yes, you can get paid for ghost hunting and guiding events. How cool is that?

These start on the corporate level. A director or an employee comes up with an idea, prices the concept out and then runs the initial estimates and costs by the Directors. If the idea is feasible financially and we think that it will sell, the person is designated as the Site manager. When the event is set up and ready to sell, the details of the event are briefed to the Charter’s Strategic Officer, with an emphasis on the personnel and equipment that will be needed for the event. The Strategic Officer also assists the site manager where needed during this process (writing press releases, contact potential customers through mailing lists, ect). When the event is ready to sell, the details of the event are briefed to the Charter’s Staff Officers and then to the charter members. The Strategic Officer then posts the details of the event and asks for volunteers to man it. Once we have that, the Site manager chooses the manpower he or she desires from the volunteer list and a pre-event ghost hunt is set up to acquire more data (hopefully EVP, video and photos) and to provide training to the volunteers on the details of the site (stories, orientations, responsibilities, ect..) If there is room available on this ghost hunt for additional investigators, the hunt will be opened up to the general membership but the event volunteers are required to attend. Example: Cody is the site manager for the event in Socorro. The event was posted on the forum (or briefed at a

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meeting), announcing that it is planned and ready to sell tickets. Now Cody has to contact the NM Charter’s strategic officer (Barbara) so she can find volunteers for the event. Cody needs 4 volunteers and requires some help with advertising the event. Volunteers for this particular event have their rooms paid for and are paid 4 credit hours. Once we have the volunteers, Cody chooses the four volunteers he wants from the list. Barbara helps writing the press release and helps advertise the event. A pre-ghost hunt of the battlefield is set up with the volunteers and they are briefed on the event details. Now we are ready to sell tickets for the event.

The pay rate of Credit Hours

The pay rate of a Credit hour is determined by your present training level and modified by how good of an entertainer / guide you are (called an E-Level).

To determine your base pay per credit hour, simply multiply your training level by the Federal Minimum wage ($5.15 per hour). So a ghost hunter with a training level of three would make $15.45 per credit hour. There are four training levels in our training program.

This base pay is modified by your E-level. There are four E-levels and each level adds $3.67 to your base pay per hour. The E-level for each member is determined by a Director with a recommendation from the State Coordinator.