With a light drizzle and low fog outside , 107 people brought their curiosity and skepticism to The Nutmeg Restaurant in East Windsor on Jan . 24 for a ghostly good time .

The sell-out crowd came to listen to members of the New England Associated Paranormal Research and Investigation in a program titled “ Local Haunts . ” The evening included discussions on The Watson House and Union District School in South Windsor , an electronic voice phenomena session , a tour of some of the hot spots at the Nutmeg in East Windsor ( the restaurant is said to have three spirits there ) and even a chance to sit down with a psychic medium for the possibility of a reading .

The “ Local Haunts” event was organized to help raise money to reach the goal of renovating the Union District School , which the South Windsor Historical Society purchased from the town for $ 1 in 2007 .

“ This program really came about because we allowed NEAPRI into Union District School , ” said Brian Rivard , the historical society president , who called the restoration of the school “ a monumental task . ” “ Events like this will help us , ” he added .

NEAPRI has investigated Union District School on several occasions ; most recently in October 2009 . The group says investigations have found some EVPs ( the voices of children during one visit ) , which , along with EVPs from The Watson House , a bed and breakfast in South Windsor , were part of the program on Jan . 24 .

Before going into breakout groups , NEAPRI discussed how they go about conducting investigations , noting that they conduct hypothesis-based experimentation , using scientific instruments . The group’s intent is to research and investigate unexplained phenomena throughout New England , purely to gain knowledge and understanding .

The 107 people then split into smaller groups and took part in one of several breakout sessions , including a tour of The Nutmeg Restaurant , one of the three locations visited by child psychics from the A&E show “ Psychic Kids , ” set to air on Feb . 2 at 9 p . m . The other locations were The Watson House and Union District School ) .

The first stop for the tour was the restaurant’s basement . “ We’ve named the ghost ‘ Jack , ’” said Rosemarie Murray , Nutmeg’s manager . “ I never saw him , but I felt him . He stopped me from falling down a stair . He reached out and stopped me from falling . ”

Waitress Connie , however , says she has seen “ Jack , ” and shared her experience .

“ It was a Sunday morning and I was working brunch , ” she said . She had gone down to the basement when something caught her eye . “ It was an older gentleman – I wasn’t afraid of it . ” She described him as looking somewhat transparent and wearing a tan vest and a tan hat .

Coming in to investigate , Wayne Collins , the technical manager and data analyst for NEAPRI , said that he would check the electrical boxes , wires , etc ., for high electromagnetic fields . People don’t normally feel a reading at . 3 miligauss ( a magnetic field measurement ) or lower . Checking the basement , Collins found an overhead florescent light to have a very high reading – 78 miligauss next to the light and down to 4 . 6-5 . 1 just below the light . Those high readings could be causing the uneasy feelings people get in the basement , he noted .

NEAPRI’s case manager and public relations point person Kellie Fitzgerald told a few anecdotal stories of her experiences with spirits , including her former apartment in Rockville , where she saw at least five spirits . A medium who visited the apartment confirmed each .

“ I can see color , I can see everything , ” Fitzgerald said . “ It becomes interesting when youtry to figure out who is real and who isn’t . ”

Psychic / medium Raven Starr walked through the Nutmeg as the event concluded and made contact with “ Jack . ” He asked her why everyone called him “ Jack” – his real name , he revealed , was Sylvester .

“ Call him ‘ Sly , ’” Starr said .

Enfield resident Kim Courville , who noted she’s always been interested in the paranormal , thoroughly enjoyed the experience .

“ It was informative , ” she said . “ And finding out a girlfriend from school sees spirits – it was surprising because she never said anything , ” Courville added , referring to Fitzgerald and their high school days .

If youmissed the event on Jan . 24 , there will be another on Feb . 28 , at 6 p . m . at The Nutmeg . The cost is $ 30 for historical society members ; $ 35 for nonmembers . It includes a buffet dinner , and reservations are required . RSVP before Feb . 13 . For further info or reservations , contact Brandy Feldmeier at 860-331-9892 or e-mail brandy@thewatsonhouse . com . More information can also be obtained at http : // www . southwindsorhistory . org /