Circle C Ranch opened in the late 1960s on a 315-acre wooded parcel in rural Cattaraugus County. I found each of the women to be credible, one attorney who investigated the reports of abusetold our two reporters. Other inappropriate behaviors allegedly occurred during his time as Circle C Ranch director since 2000, although none of the complaints related to behavior within the past five years. Wayne Aarum, a former senior high minister at, in Getzville, New York, current pastor of. Keeping his hands on their bodies way too long when it wasnt necessary at all.. Bob asked how much interest? But 7 Eyewitness News spoke with a former employee at the youth camp who said she has spoken with one of the alleged survivors. It was 50 miles south of Buffalo, NY on a 315 acre piece of land that had been a farm. Circle C Ranch'sboard of trustees said they did their own investigation. The letter says 27 individuals offered corroborating evidence for the 21 victims, including former Circle C employees, church leaders, and volunteers who witnessed inappropriate behaviors. Aarum, whose family has run the camp for decades and who is also listed as pastor of the First Baptist Church of Arcade, denied the allegations in an interview with 7 Eyewitness News. DeKalb suggested that the allegations were part of a campaign by Chapel leaders to acquire the youth camp. Your support allows us to continue to produce quality journalism, week in and week out. 3,832 were here. Aarum, whose late father, Wes Aarum Sr., founded Circle C Ranch in 1968, previously worked as a youth pastor at Buffalo-area megachurch The Chapel in the 1990s. Leaders at The Chapel said they, through MinistrySafe, also reported the allegations to law enforcement. While at that camp Wes got to thinking that maybe someday he would be able to start a camp where young people could come to know Christ. Officials at the Chapel said they were first made aware in 2019 of allegations about Aarums inappropriate behavior at the camp and took that information to the Circle C Ranch board, according to a statement provided to The News and posted on the Chapel's website. In investigative journalism, it's vital reporters show their efforts to confirm facts and to reach people. Ministry Watch 2022 All rights reserved. Getzville in New York, from 1991 to 2000 before becoming director of Circle C Ranch. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. A Christian minister with ties to a Getzville megachurch and a popular Cattaraugus County youth camp stands accused of sexual misconduct with teen girls -- but he denies the allegations. Miracle after Miracle, God has provided for Circle C Ranch and as long as God continues to provide, we will continue to serve Him! My byline has run in the Ithaca Journal, USA Today, the Rochester Democrat & Chronicle and the New York Times. Nothing happened. Reporters also tried to contactRonald Snell,a longtime friend of Wes Aarum Sr. andCircle C board member for a short period, whowas also present at the meeting. That was of the Lord. as part of a USA TODAY Network New York investigation, These women say a Western NY pastor, Christian camp president abused them as teenagers, Pastor accused of abusing teens sues Buffalo megachurch The Chapel for $2.5M, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Does public speaking or speaking in a group make you nervous? 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Holding a crusade in a town nearby Wes was introduced to a man named Bill Daily who worked construction and was also a master stone worker. Victims come forward in Circle C sexual-misconduct case. Wayne S. Aarum claimed in a defamation lawsuit that The Chapel and its executive pastor, John Camardo, engaged in a sustained campaign of . Carnahan described Aarums actions as grooming and sexual predation. She also accused Aarum of inflicting what she termed religious trauma on her. In an interview in March with WKBW-TV, Aarum said he had "zero recollection" of touching anyone inappropriately. Daryl Dekalb, a Circle C Ranch Board Member, appeared to place blame on the women who have come forward, even though leaders at The Chapel have described them as credible and courageous. Its common for women as they get along in lifeto see how their lives are not going well and when they sit down, like with a social workerand they start hearing stuff from a social worker that says to them, Well, have you ever had something in your life where maybe this is set off, the condition that youre in now? I mean, none of these women had any complaints at all until they were contacted by this group and suggestions were made to them.. Carnahan said she was not among the 21 unidentified women cited in the investigative report. Neither I nor MinistrySafe (or any representative of the law firm) have ever offered information for payment to Circle C or Living Waters Ministries. I found each of the women to be credible; patterns of predatory behavior emerged and grew more egregious as time passed. New York, and the operator of Circle C Ranch youth camp in Delevan, New York, stands accused of sexually assaulting at least twenty-one girls in the 1990s. Thank you for your support. Aarum also said in a video posted to the Circle C Ranch website this summer that he never received complaints at the time the alleged abuse occurred about his behavior in either positions he's held at The Chapel or at Circle C Ranch. At 18 years of age he was the lifeguard at Pine brook, a very unique teen camp in Pennsylvania whose founder was Percy Crawford. Through all this, Aarum remains as the Circle C camp president today. Camardo did not respond Friday to a voicemail and email seeking comment. An email to Wayne Aurum, and a call to attorney's in Williamsville who are representing Aurum in the defamation lawsuit were not returned Monday. Now there was a need for the total of $40,000 to get things moving. Its a thrill to see what God has done over the years. According to a . In the interests of fairness, the two reporters pursued interviews with supporters of Aarum. Email us at: info@circlecranch.org. The details, the word choices and the extra effort to confirm facts and reach difficult-to-reach people all matter greatly. For many years, The Chapel, a popular nondenominational megachurch with several offshoot congregations, encouraged families to send their children to Circle C Ranch. "Due to Covid Restrictions we have decided to pour all of our resources into our family camp weekends," the website reads. Wayne Aarum and his wife, Julie, in an interview with WKBW-TV about allegations that Wayne Aarum inappropriately touched girls and young women while a youth minister at The Chapel and at Circle C Ranch, a Christian camp he runs in Delevan. More history on Circle C Ranch can be found at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circle_C_Ranch. Aarum, who was a youth pastor at The Chapel, a large Buffalo-area church, and later the camp president at Circle C Ranch, a Christian camp in rural Cattaraugus County, was a well-known. Former Circle C Ranch staffer discusses effects of abuse. Sometimes he would grab her from behind and pull his pelvis tight to her body, she said. Aarum served at The Chapel, located in the suburb of Getzville in New York, from 1991 to 2000 before becoming director of Circle C Ranch. Just after the story published, the camp announced a change for how it will operate this summer, emphasizing the presence of families there and not individual teens. Youth pastor, Christian camp director accused of inappropriately touching teen girls. To more or less prime the pump?. "Circle C Ranch would ultimately determine the initial allegations were false through its own internal investigation. This coverage is only possible with support from our readers. Mr. Petereson was willing to sell the land for the price of the mortgage $14,800. But Carnahan said she has made clear on social media who she is and what she alleges Aarum did. (Both boys are college graduates and are now full time in the ministry working with college as well as public and high school students.) To make a donation,click here. Click here to read the full statement from The Chapel. Check the lists below! An internal investigation earlier this year by Texas attorney Kimberlee Norris found 21 women who alleged Aarum touched them inappropriately when they were teenagers or young women. We all knew starting on Monday -- when the campers arrived -- we all could pick out which of our girls were going to receive the most attention, be the favorite and the ones we would keep an eye on, Heather Sticht, a former employee of the camp, said in an interview with 7 Eyewitness News. A copy of the report, which was obtained by 7 Eyewitness News, stated: In the course of the MinistrySafe investigation, these behaviors were communicated: -stroking legs (outside clothing and on bare skin), -touching vaginal area- outside clothing (in shorts or jeans), -touching, rubbing and stroking breasts, outside clothing, -stroking from hips to breasts, clothed, on the side of the body, -pressing penis into back of girl (hugging from behind), -rubbing penis repeatedly in a girls presence, -extended hug of a partially dressed girl", The report stated that 27 people came forward to corroborate some of the alleged behaviors, including hand rubbing inside of thighfailing to honor preference NOT to be touched and meeting 1/1 with girls late into the night.. But she never saw any improvement in Wayne Aarums behavior, she said. Read the full story from News Staff Reporter Jay Tokasz. Wes Aarum recently resigned from the Chapel after declining to step down from the Circle C Ranch board, according to a transcript of a meeting Camardo had with church members in January. Time and again, even as the local news industry has been buffeted for a quarter-century by change, reporting by trained professionals continues tobe a catalyst for positive change in our communities. That always raises the risk that someone will find the teacher to be too close for comfort. Little id any of us realize what a blessing that would be, as the Winter Snow Camps have brought in thousands of campers with hundreds of them accepting Christ.. Circle C stands for "Christ Centered" which is the purpose and continues to be the. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. In school, our teachers told us to "show our math," or how we worked out a problem. If you are interested in helping out please fill out the application below! Speaking the truth to a difficult situation can be met with hostility, fear, and a wide variety of other responses., The boards own investigative report also suggested that the unidentified women cited in Norris report may have misinterpreted Aarums gestures of good will because of a common type of trauma in their past that makes them ultra-sensitive to certain kinds of verbal Bible teaching or certain physical actions such as hugs that are entirely appropriate and not at all offensive to other women in the same circumstances.. The smart way to start your day. Aarum is seeking $3.1 million in damages. I dont want any more children to come through his camp.. You have permission to edit this article. Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way. The church hired Norris last October to investigate. In October 2020, they hired MinistrySafe founder Kimberlee Norris, who completed her investigation in December 2020. This website was created for residents in order to provide you with more convenience and opportunities to share ideas and information; get news and announcements; access an online resource center for important Anne Stych is a writer in Charlotte, North Carolina. For an overview of the site and a few ideas as to how it can help save you time and get you connected with your community, click About Our Website. Dekalb appeared to place blame on the women who have come forward, even though leaders at The Chapel have described them as credible and courageous. Wayne Aarum, pastor accused of abusing teens, sues Buffalo megachurch The Chapel for $2.5M. The accounts of the women, describing incidents involving Wayne Aarum that took place when they were Circle C Ranch campers, are troubling and concerning. Circle C Ranch has provided a written response on its website in response to these allegations. In one letter, the board accused the Chapels executive pastor, John Camardo, of defamation. That can be the case in the busiest of news years (ahem, 2020) or on the slowest of news days. Many of the allegations, which have been reported by Chapel leadership to the State Office of Children and Family Services, deal with alleged conduct occurring at the Circle C Ranch youth camp in Delevan, where Aarum serves as president. Yet for decades this alleged abuse continuedeven though leadership at both The Chapel and Circle C Ranch were confronted about Aarum's conduct at least 20 times in the past 24 years. The membership was advised that the independent investigation credibly confirmed a pattern of inappropriate interaction with young women involved in The Chapel's student ministry in the late 90s and also uncovered ongoing inappropriate interaction with young women not associated with The Chapel who had been involved in the previously referenced local youth camp over the last two decades, The Chapel said in its statement. Girls, now women, who participated in the investigation said that the behaviors became so normalized that they assumed others, including parents and ministry leaders, knew and approved, Norris wrote in her letter to the state office. So what does Sabres GM Kevyn Adams do this week? Both of the local jurisdictions that were contacted in this investigation had determined that, given the passage of time (in some cases) or the nature of non-criminal allegations (in others), the allegations are not believed to be subject to criminal prosecution, they stated on The Chapel website. She is seeking compensatory and punitive damages to be determined at trial, according to the court filing. That was of the Lord. The lawsuit alleges that leadership of The Chapel have become aware of the growing value of the camp property and that Camardo has sought since 2019 to dig up dirt on Aarum, with the aim of hurting his reputation and creating a more favorable board of directors to control the Circle C Ranch camp and the use and disposition of its land.. Chapel leaders learned a few months later about additional allegations of inappropriate behavior by Aarum during his time as a church staff member from 1991 to 2000. Camps are also required to collect information about the vaccination status of each camper and staff member, and perform health screenings upon arrival. It matters in cities. Call our office at: (716) 492-3687. If I have offended you, I will apologize, he said during a church service in April. Families can register online to attend camp overnightwith their children at Circle C Ranch on either July 9-11 or August 6-8. It is important for you to know that both The Chapel leadership and MinistrySafe have found the allegations to be credible, and we continue to stand with those who have courageously come forward, Chapel leadership said Friday in a statement posted to the churchs website. read more Filed Under: Church Keep reading with unlimited digital access. all you can eat pancakes, eggs, juice, and coffee. For his part, Aarum denies the claimsand defends his conduct, saying in an email, "I have never touched anyone with any inappropriate motive.". If you are experiencing difficulties logging in or are a subscriber getting a paywall, please try one or more of the following steps. The work poses many challenges. This website was created for residents in order to provide you with more convenience and opportunities to share ideas and information; get news and announcements; access an online resource center for important association documents and forms; join discussion forums; utilize the member directory; and much more. Some of the allegations date back to 1990s, when Aarum ran a ministry program for high school students at the Chapel. It makes a difference to people of all backgrounds and life experiences. Kimberlee Norris, the co-founder of Ministry Safe, a Christian sexual misconduct investigative and prevention service, , said 21 women told her in interviews Aarum had touched them inappropriately, with incidents dating back to when he was a youth minister at. The attorney advised that Aarum step down as president and camp director, but the board didnt follow through on that advice, said Fancher, who no longer is on the camps board. Wes said he didnt know. But the allegations are from a small percentage of the young people Aarum has worked with over the years. The longtime director of a Christian youth camp in Delevan is refusing to step down despite complaints that he inappropriately touched young women and girls at the camp and when he was a youth pastor in the 1990s at one of the areas largest churches. After article publication, the law firm has been inundated with calls and emails from additional fact witnesses and victims. People brought this to his attention. The former employee, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because she feared retribution from Aarums family, said the woman came forward because Aarum still has access to kids through his work at Circle C Ranch. Some former staff said Aarum typically targeted specific girls who were pretty, slim, emotionally fragile or those who had father issues and that girls complained to staff asking for help in avoiding [Aarum]., In a March statement, The Chapels board and pastoral leadership said both their leadership and MinistrySafe have found the allegations to be credible.. Read their stories. Aarums denials prompted Elle Campbell to post on Twitter that she was one of the 21+ victims and 27+ corroborators who were interviewed for Norris report. To honor, Glorify and exalt the Lord Jesus Christ. The suit is seeking more than $2.5 million in damages for "harm to reputation, mental anguish, humiliation, embarrassment, and emotional injury," as well as an additional $625,000 in financial damages, according to court filings. Aarums lawsuit was filed by Amherst attorneys Steven K. Long and Olivia T. 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