Messages from Beyond: Ocean State Paranormal Society raises money for preservation

When most people think of the ghosts of the past, they don’t imagine literal, well, ghosts. The Ocean State Paranormal Society is turning that all on its head with their upcoming fundraising event that will raise money for an historic property, all while giving attendees access to loved ones from beyond the grave. 

Founded in 2012, the Ocean State Paranormal Society has dedicated themselves to helping private property owners determine if the bump they hear during the night is a ghost – or something as simple as a house settling. Just to show you how hands-on they are, there is always an integral part of research that comes with each case. A lot of claims of the paranormal have to do with the idea that there was a tragic death or, very much like the movie Poltergeist, some sort of ancient burial ground. Ocean State Paranormal makes sure to find out the facts – where a property has come from and what has happened to it before jumping to conclusions. Buddy Thayer, founder of Ocean State Paranormal, fully supports this research and the history behind the haunting. He says, “The idea of marrying history and the paranormal has been a thing since way before me. Often times when researching the paranormal, I find myself deeply engrossed in historical research.” With the knowledge that you can’t have history without ghosts, or maybe it’s the other way around, the Ocean State Paranormal Society, a non-profit, has now dedicated itself to helping preserve the past for future generations by letting the paranormal meet preservation. With its yearly fundraising event series, the society allows participants the opportunity to speak to a passed loved one in an historic property. All proceeds from the event then go toward the historical preservation of the event site. Past events have been held at the old Kent County Jail in East Greenwich, which raised $2,700 for the East Greenwich Historical Preservation Society and before that, at the Varnum Memorial Armory (where this year’s event is being held) in 2018 which raised $3,000. 

With the event coming back to the Varnum Memorial Armory, guests will get to peek inside a beautiful red brick building located in East Greenwich. The building began construction in 1913 on the site of what had been the Rhode Island Central Bank. Construction was inspired by the Varnum Continentals, who wanted to instill patriotism and history through the building – with the goal of reminding the public what the American Revolution had meant to this country. The building housed drill halls, meeting rooms, and up until 1996, was also home to the Rhode Island National Guard. It currently serves as a military museum.  

But – for one night only – Saturday, February 15, from 6:30 to 8:30pm, the Ocean State Paranormal Society will bring its idea of preservation and paranormal together by holding a gallery reading featuring medium and spiritual healer Roland Comtois, who is known for his “purple paper messages.” 

While there will be paranormal investigations in the armory, the gallery reading is the main event – where Comtois will appear with messages from beyond that were channeled through him onto purple sheets of paper. It’s here that he hopes that these messages will find their homes, meaning the person that they are intended for. Comtois’ website shows messages that he has received from the beyond and a few places where the messages have landed. One, for example, found its recipient in June 2019 in Rhode Island. Comtois receives these messages, but he never knows who they belong to. This event will promote his goal of letting these purple papers find their way home and will share how audiences can tap into their own intuitive abilities. Ocean State Paranormal Founder Buddy Thayer says, “This guy is the real deal. I have personally been enlightened when he pulled me out of a crowd of 200 and told me specific details about passed loved ones. He doesn’t ask you cold questions or make guesses, Roland speaks directly to you and knows things that only you know or that loved one would know.”

See for yourself if you have a purple paper waiting for you – all while supporting the preservation of a true Rhode Island landmark. I mean, no matter what happens, you’ll have a hauntingly good time.  

Tickets for the 18+ event can be purchased on Eventbrite or via the Ocean State Paranormal Society Facebook Page and all proceeds go to the Varnum Memorial Armory.