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Special AssignmentSpiritualist CampBy Jay OlstadWONEWOC, Wisconsin - One camp is taking campfire ghost stories to a whole new level. Camp Wonewoc in central Wisconsin may look like your ordinary campground, but you'll find plenty of people there who 'see dead people'. Judy Ulch runs the Spiritualist Camp with her husband. She says, "I hear things, I see things, I know things." The camp has been around since 1874, so there's a lot of history between the trees and cabins. "There are a lot of spirits on the grounds because of all the healers, mediums, and all the people that have been here before," Ulch says. Spiritualists believe that people don't die--they just pass from one existence to another. "They look at things from a higher perspective. So they can guide us and direct us and push us in the right direction if we're smart enough to listen," Judy explains. That's where she and her fellow mediums come in. On this particular night they're holding a 'Spirit Circle', where the mediums help the campers communicate with deceased loved ones. Judy adds, "Sometimes people are worried, if someone died in an accident or something that they suffered terribly." The readings are such a sacred process, we weren't allowed to record them. We found that most people were there for deeply personal reasons. Linda Schnable hoped to connect with her son, who died four years ago. "It didn't happen tonight, but I'm hopeful for tomorrow," she says. Linda admits she is a little skeptical. "I want him to tell me what he's doing, and just have some sense...I just need a connection," she says. Judy admits not everyone is a believer at first, and many are afraid of the process. She reassures, "There's no fear....nothing to be afraid of at all." In fact, Lynette Munz says she feels comfort during the readings. She lost her mom about a month ago to Parkinson's. "Sometimes you need a little reassurance that they are OK," Lynette says. The evening ends with a healing circle and a bonfire where people can either socialize, or take time to reflect. "For me it's affirmation that our loved ones are still with us, and they are here, and they're always around us, taking care of us," Lynette explains. The camp also features various workshops and worship services. The mediums are holding readings through the end of the month. |
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