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= The Canadian Haunting and Paranormal Society (C.H.A.P.S.) =

Background
In 2005, the Canadian Haunting and Paranormal Society (C.H.A.P.S.) was founded in Pembroke, Ontario, Canada by David Gibb who had been informally investigating since 1994 without a team by his side. Gibb was raised in the Spiritualist Church via his late mother Janet Gibb. Gibb refers to this church as an overly religious society, however, the church was the source of encouragement to form CHAPS. CHAPS maintains a pragmatic approach to investigating. CHAPS investigates homes and commercial properties, bringing equipment to video, photograph, record amplified audio, and data recording of vibration and temperature.

Many residents of Pembroke found the development of CHAPS to be a great resource, and a handful joined the team. The original members of CHAPS alongside Gibb were Dan Sehn, Cathy Morden, Jennifer Ferris, Jeff Livesey, and Shanna Jacklin, with the latter two still running the website for the team. The second round of recruitment just a few years later included John Tallon, Sandy Gibb, and Shannon Cowan, and are still with the team. Despite losing many members over the years for a variety of reasons, C.H.A.P.S. stands strong and consists of a tight knit crew consisting of David and Sandy Gibb, Livesey, Jacklin, Tallon, Cowan, Phil Booker, Fiona Gibb, and Lynda Bayley. David has included his family since the beginning of the team, with trialling nephews/nieces and children on investigations, keeping his niece Shannon Cowan, his daughter Fiona, and his wife Sandy on the team.

In 2008, the Canadian Haunting and Paranormal Society became a member of the The Atlantic Paranormal Society (TAPS) Family. Since this collaboration, CHAPS has made a concentrated effort to cross investigate with many teams of the family. Doing so would broaden the horizon of the teams techniques as well as recognisability. Through investigating with teams like the Center of Paranormal Research and Investigation (CPRI), CHAPS had growth in the area of scientific approach to investigating while remaining pragmatic. CHAPS has experience collaborating with Mediums, however it has been 15 years since doing so, but still has dedication to creating and maintaining good relationships with the paranormal world. CHAPS has also partnered with Corrections Officer Paranormal Society (COPS), Bytown Paranormal , as well as other South-West Ontario paranormal teams.

Throughout the years, CHAPS has had head offices as several regions of the province, London, Ottawa, and Toronto, but only Toronto remains as a head office as a way to maintain consistency with the team.

Notable Investigations
CHAPS has investigated over 500 private residences and commercial properties since 2005, spanning from Quebec, Ontario, and a variety of U.S. States. CHAPS has been fortunate to investigate some prominent locations in world history.

A paranormal favourite across paranormal lovers that CHAPS has investigated several times dating back to when David investigated alone in 1994, is Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. With eerie sensations and creepy feelings, it is evident that there is a possibility for hauntings in Gettysburg.

CHAPS visited Old Fort Henry in 2009, with Electronic Voice Phenomenon's (EVPs) heard, and it is believed that there is residual energy in the building.

In 2010, CHAPS paid a visit to the Waverly Hills Sanitorium in Kentucky, USA, home to more than 6,000 deaths during its time as a Tuberculosis hospital. There was a moderate amount of evidence collected during the investigation, with an investigator being pinched, hums, misplaced audios, and shadows seen. It is possible that the hauntings are multi-generational, however, CHAPS determines that much of the experiences within Waverly Hills are a "monster of its own creation."

CHAPS investigated Moundsville West Virginia State Penitentiary in 2011. Moundsville had a plethora of claims listed, including items being thrown across rooms in the penitentiary. Moundsville was home to a number of deaths on the property including executions, and hearsay has documented multiple bodies buried on the premises. CHAPS investigated Moundsville with two other teams, Pararex and Mountain State Paranormal. The teams identified screams, mumbles of prison language, whistles, knocks, and a number of pareidolia (perception of ambiguous patterns) identified. The 3 teams were able to come to an agreement that the vast majority of activity was found in the North Block and the Administration area, which housed the psychiatric ward as well as the infirmary - two places that would likely house a high number of deaths. However, many of the sound anomalies were discounted.

Ashmore Estates was the next major investigation completed by CHAPS in 2016. Ashmore has had many claims of experiences, and many EVPs collected by previous teams. Claims of being poked or touched, full perceptions of apparitions, on top of many auditory claims, Ashmore can be concluded as perceptively haunted. CHAPS spent three nights consecutively at Ashmore Estates to conduct a very thorough investigation of these claims. Regardless of interrupting noise through weather conditions, there were still notable EVPs heard throughout the night. Heavy breathing, piano music, footsteps, youthful giggling, bangs and whispers were all experienced. Two investigators experienced the feeling of their pants being tugged and Catherine felt like she had been pushed while standing on the stairs. CHAPS confidently concludes that there is activity present in Ashmore Estates and returned in 2017 to redo the location.

In 2016, CHAPS investigated Hill View Manor in Pennsylvania, United States. Various claims like skeletal figures being seen, a little boy, doctors killing themselves or jumping out windows, etc. CHAPS took on the responsibility of calming the owners of this property. The audio device picked up floor door scratching and furniture movement. The middle floor of the property resulted in the most amount of activity. With experiences of touches and bumps, sounds unexplained, elusive movements that may have been lights playing tricks. An impressively clear EVP was heard, classified as a 1A EVP, a child mocking Carolyn and unable to be debunked and may prove the presence of a child. CHAPS concludes that there may be activity in this property.

The Ohio State Reformatory, famously known for the shooting location for The Shawshank Redemption , May 2017 this location brought CHAPS, COPS , and RVPRI together to conduct a thorough investigation on the claims within the property. This prison was meant to correct behaviours rather than punish them, known for overcrowding. There were many accounts of torture, violence, murder, and disembowelment. The three teams split into seven groups into three zones: Admin, West, and East. The West had the solitary confinement location. Many of the teams experienced shadows and sounds of banging. Some voices were heard as well. Smells of burning in claimed locations confirm their suspicions. In this specific area of burning smell was in the East where a prisoner burnt to death in their cell. Using FLIR evidently provided the teams with heat signatures on the wire bed where the prisoner would have been. The audios available also presented with crackling noise. Dave also experienced a wet willy during the investigation. CHAPS, COPS, and RVPRI concluded together that with the high level activity present, is it likely that there is possible hauntings.

In 2017, CHAPS returned to Ashmore Estates. Investigators Damon and Evan received excellent reactions when investigating the twins' room, hearing noises on command and repeated piano keys in a room nearby. Multiple EVPs of children playing were heard, and an EVP clearly calling out "Ava" was heard, who was the child that died there. CHAPS continues to believe that there is some sort of paranormal activity at Ashmore Estates.

In 2018, Wildwood Sanitarium in New York, USA ., was investigated. Wildwood was open for all treatable conditions except infectious and contagious diseases in 1909. In 1923, it became a Tuberculosis clinic and then later opened as apartments. Over the years it was known for EVPs, shadow figures, people reporting bumps and tugs, objects moving and windows spontaneously bursting. During a solo shift for Carolyn, she explored the Sanitarium and experienced shadows and movement. In the little boys room and the doll room, the team experienced sounds of scratching on the walls and movement, however this may be debunked as animal sounds. A toy light up cat ball went off with no nearby provocation setting it off and was unable to be debunked. CHAPS remains on the fence regarding how haunted this location is.

CHAPS continues to seek opportunities for commercial and famous locations to investigate all over Canada and the USA.

Past, Current and Future Endeavours.
CHAPS has had many opportunities for TV production, however Dave continues to maintain the perspective of truthful and realistic investigating, which tends not to be the desire for production companies. Dave has done many public 101 sessions, teaching the public about investigating. Dave has also worked with College/University students on various school projects and has taught in College courses.

CHAPS currently is on Facebook, Instagram , TikTok , and Youtube and actively posts various updates, photos, videos, news, and investigation videos. CHAPS investigators Dave and Fiona Gibb host a biweekly podcast known as CHAPS Darkside which is posted to Facebook and Youtube. Dave often individually goes live to update his followers on future happenings and possible investigations.

Dave enjoys interviewing other investigators as well as working with them on projects and investigations. CHAPS has many upcoming investigations including the teams first cross-border investigation since before COVID-19 began.