We have reporters standing by. Missed chances:Woman says she reported possible abuse at Circle C Ranch to police years ago. Some Chapel members expressed anger and frustration over how leadership handled the investigation of Aarum, who was popular with many people connected to the church. In a written response to the allegations posted on its website, Circle C leaders defended Aarum, saying he has been systematically denied the right of every person in the American systemto know and confront accusers, and alleged that The Chapels leadership turned to social media influencers and the pastors of other churches to help distribute its anonymous claims., The leaders said sponsoring anonymous claims is directly counter to the Bibles specific teachings., In another documentone of seven on the siteCircle C accused the Chapel, a megachurch with an enormous budget, well over $12 million annually, of trying to acquire the Ranchs property, a very choice 315 acres of rural land, by demanding a board restructuring to exclude members of the family that began the Ranch in 1968 and has run it ever since.. I dont want any more children to come through his camp.. Does public speaking or speaking in a group make you nervous? In a letter to the New York State Office of Children and Family Services, Norris outlined dozens of alleged incidents connected with the youth group and the camp, including Aarum touching girls intimately, saying intimate things to them, and entering cabins while girls were changing clothes. Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way. Mr. Petereson was willing to sell the land for the price of the mortgage $14,800. No, he said when asked whether he ever touched anyone inappropriately. Report stated 21 women have made allegations. Its all lightweight stuff theyre bringing up anyway, Dekalb said. But the allegations are from a small percentage of the young people Aarum has worked with over the years. READ THE FULL INVESTIGATION:These women say a Western NY pastor, Christian camp president abused them as teenagers, Lasting trauma:He was my identity: How emotional, spiritual abuse creates lasting trauma. Aarum filed a lawsuit against The Chapel on June 2, 2021, accusing the churchs executive pastor, John Camardo, of defamation, saying statements related to the allegations against him were used to damage his reputation and his ability to do business, according to Aarums filing. Hed get uncomfortably close to my face, and I remember thinking as a teenager about the tension of him being so close to my face, like is he trying to kiss me? said Carnahan, who now lives near Tampa and works in a restaurant. There was documentation of people going to Wayne and saying, Hey listen, like, we love you, but you need to be careful of this.' That was of the Lord. BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) Three days after sexual misconduct allegations were raised about a Cattaraugus County youth camp director -- allegations the camp director denied -- additional women have come forward to say that they either witnessed or experienced as teenagers inappropriate sexual contact by Wayne Aarum. He has the backing of the camps board of trustees, which released a response to Norris report stating that there is no substantial evidence supporting the claims. Carolyn McDonald, a former Circle C Ranch staffer, and Jerry Gillis, lead pastor at The Chapel, discuss the allegations against Wayne Aarum. Delaware North scores with billboard with Sabres goalie Ukko-Pekka, well, you know Pastor accused of touching girls sues Amherst church over allegations, Watch now: Youth pastor, Christian camp director accused of inappropriately touching teen girls, More than 300 words have been added to the English dictionary, Citizens travel to Peru's capitol Lima to protest against Boluarte, Senators react to the end of emergency SNAP benefits, Russia accuses U.S. of intent to use chemical weapons in Ukraine. This Summer we are looking to hire Staff to help facilitate our Summer Camp, Day Camp, and Family Camp programs! One of America's most exciting Christian Camps. Circle C Ranch'sboard of trustees said they did their own investigation. Few of the women who came forward during the investigation knew other; the behavior complained of spanned DECADES. It matters in small towns. In October 2020, they hired MinistrySafe founder Kimberlee Norris, who completed her investigation in December 2020. But in 2020, something changed. "Waynes work prevents teenage suicides, avoids teen pregnancies, postpones too-young marriages, helps confront bullying at school, teaches how to respond appropriately to parents and authority figures, how to survive peer pressure, and how to defend their faith in a kind, positive way, the board said. It isan investigative journalist's role to examine possible abuses of power or allegations of misfeasance or malfeasancethoroughly,keeping fairness and accuracy front and center in their work. He met Margaret Stevenson who had been born on a farm in Pennsylvania (which would prepare her for life at the Ranch). 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. "So much so, we are changing our traditional schedule to give your family the chance to experience everything we are offering this year.". 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. According to a report . 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. OPTION 1: Bring your Youth Group. Click here to read the full statement from The Chapel. When the camp went to pay Bob back he made it a gift to the ministry. This coverage is only possible with support from our readers. All fourdid not respond. Drew Silleman. Sarah Taddeo is an enterprisereporter for USA Today Network's New York State Team. 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. Read the original investigation: These women say a Western NY pastor, Christian camp president abused them as teenagers, Aarum sues The Chapel: Pastor accused of abusing teens sues Buffalo megachurch The Chapel for $2.5M. It was those subtle touches that made me scared and uncomfortable., Another woman who is now 29 said that when she and her friend were waiting for a ride home from the camp in 2007 or 2008, Aarum came up behind the girl and said [he] hugged me from behind. Reach him at mkilian@gannett.com. I think she is in a place in her life where shes ready to come forward, the former employee said. To more or less prime the pump?. Keep reading with unlimited digital access. The allegations also were referred to the Cattaraugus County Sheriff's Office, which is investigating, according to Sgt. If you are an abuse survivor, or you would like to share your experiences about the events described above, please send an email to Charlie.Specht@wkbw.com or Hannah.Buehler@wkbw.com. I dont want any more children to be affected. DeKalb suggested that the allegations were part of a campaign by Chapel leaders to acquire the youth camp. None agreed to interviews on the recordfor this story, and they didnot provide additional sources who would be willing to comment on the record.". Shortly after her graduation they were married. There was a problem saving your notification. 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.. Bob asked what it was for? He has consistently denied all of the allegations against him. Check the lists below! Snells lawsuit alleges that Circle C Ranch failed to investigate claims against Aarum in a timely fashion and report findings about his conduct, and failed to terminate him in light of his inappropriate and predatory actions and behaviors with minors, according to the paperwork. 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 said upon receiving the letter that was sent by MinistrySafe to survivors on Sunday, she has been sick to my stomach ever since.. The accounts of the women, describing incidents involving Wayne Aarum that took place when they were Circle C Ranch campers, are troubling and concerning. It is very difficult to do this kind of work successfully from across the room. As Ross Barker said, without Marge we would have never made it. How true! Some of the allegations date back to 1990s, when Aarum ran a ministry program for high school students at the Chapel. 1.) Norris runs MinistrySafe, which provides training and screening to prevent child sex abuse in churches, camps, youth sports and other settings. But 7 Eyewitness News spoke with a former employee at the youth camp who said she has spoken with one of the alleged survivors. That always raises the risk that someone will find the teacher to be too close for comfort. Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way. Oh, and if you have a good story tip, on any subject, please let us know. Bill wanted to make sure that every building was winterized so the camp could operate year round. Circle C Ranch, the Christian children's camp in western New York facingallegations that its director has inappropriately touched teenage girls, announced drastic changes to its summer plans this week. When he gave Bob a call, he said I suppose the same terms as before and then he wrote out a check fo the amount. Besides doing the cooking, she became the office manager, the accountant, head of the medical dept, and a mother to their 2 sons, Wes & Wayne. Wes Aarum preaches at Kingdom Bound at Darien Lake in 2012. In its response to Norris report, the Circle C Ranch board suggests that the volume of complaints against Aarum was related to the work he did, often with troubled teenagers. Bob asked how much interest? But she never saw any improvement in Wayne Aarums behavior, she said. $10- ages 10+ $5- ages under 10 Chelsea Carnahan, 28, recounted how Aarum would stroke her back and hair, hold her hand and touch her legs during one-on-one counseling sessions and talks when she was a Pioneer High School student from 2006 to 2010. The camp was founded by Wayne Aarums father Wes Aarum Sr., and both Wayne and his brother, Wes Aarum Jr., serve on the board. Litigator 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 Chapel at Crosspoint, a megachurch in the Buffalo area. I think some of it, as an adult looking back, it crossed a line, she said. Wes held a crusade in Montana and there God gave him 2 men, Ken Strait & Russ Alexander who were great with horses and hammers and they came east to help build the camp. Click here to read the full statement from The Chapel. Prior to becoming director of Circle C Ranch, Aarum worked as a youth pastor atBuffalo-area megachurch The Chapel in the 1990s. 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. (Both boys are college graduates and are now full time in the ministry working with college as well as public and high school students.) It matters in cities. Sometimes he would grab her from behind and pull his pelvis tight to her body, she said. When you are a leader of a church and somebody comes to you and says somebody on your staff abused kids while he was on your staff, what would you expect him to do? the speaker said. Im not the type of person to spread things around just to ruin someone, she said. At 18 years of age he was the lifeguard at Pine brook, a very unique teen camp in Pennsylvania whose founder was Percy Crawford. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Tight hugging. Cattaraugus County Sheriff's officials confirmed that they are investigating the matter. Aarum and the Circle C board members did not respond when asked how this . What else might develop? 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. I don't know, but one thing I am sure of is that Taddeo and Silvarole will be ready to write about it. ", "The USA TODAY NETWORK asked for comment from five individuals whosupport the Ranch and the Aarums. I have zero recollection of that. It all started in the heart of an evangelist named Wes Aarum. Prior to 2020, when COVID-19 preventedthe camp from operating in the summer, Circle C Ranch would host grade and high school-agedchildren without their parents, according to former camp staff. Circle C Ranch opened in the late 1960s on a 315-acre wooded parcel in rural Cattaraugus County. There is absolutely no credibility to any of these things, Dekalb said. 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. Pastor accused of touching girls sues Amherst church over allegations. The smart way to start your day. Its a thrill to see what God has done over the years. You have permission to edit this article. She was saved as a teenager, went to Buffalo and became a Registered Nurse. It's vital people describing trauma or harm be listened to with sensitivity and patience; coming forward is often an act of courage. I found each of the women to be credible; patterns of predatory behavior emerged and grew more egregious as time passed. Editor's note: There are descriptions of alleged sexual abuse and opinions about survivors of alleged abuse that may be triggering to abuse survivors. Got a story tip or comment? It was 50 miles south of Buffalo, NY on a 315 acre piece of land that had been a farm. Click here to read a copy of the MinistrySafe report submitted to state officials. My byline has run in the Ithaca Journal, USA Today, the Rochester Democrat & Chronicle and the New York Times. Victims come forward in Circle C sexual-misconduct case. He previously has said that Chapel leaders were not seeking to take control of the Circle C Ranch board or the camp property. Whether you are a loyal D&C reader or a new one, please know that stories like this are possible because of subscribers like you. Camardo did not respond Friday to a voicemail and email seeking comment. The work poses many challenges. 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. Miracle after Miracle, God has provided for Circle C Ranch and as long as God continues to provide, we will continue to serve Him! Please consider becoming a digital subscriber. Circle C Ranch Director Wayne Aarum filed a $2.5M lawsuit against The Chapel the same day the USA Today Network reported abuse allegations by former camp staffers. If you are interested in helping out please fill out the application below! The conduct was at times private and at other times out in the open when other camp staffers would be able to witness it, according to Snells lawsuit. My evaluation of credibility is based upon 30 years of past experience interacting with fact witnesses and abuse survivors. I still dont know, although they have accused me and pretty much condemned me, I dont know what Im accused of, Aarum said. Circle "C" Ranch is a christian youth camp about an hour south of Buffalo New York, the setting is very unique in the fact that it is themed in the 18 See more A former camper and staff member at Circle C Ranch, a Christian camp in Cattaraugus County, has filed a lawsuit against the camp and its president, Wayne Aarum, accusing Aarum of grooming and. In a written statement issued Friday, Circle C Ranch leadership also suggested that "false memories" could have been planted in accusers' minds. Families can register online to attend camp overnightwith their children at Circle C Ranch on either July 9-11 or August 6-8. My youth group never went back to Circle C.. The leadership of New York Christian camp Circle C Ranch defended operations director Wayne Aarum against claims that he engaged in inappropriate sexual behavior with multiple girls beginning decades ago, saying an internal investigation showed there was no substantial credible evidence of misconduct. Especially about potency and trying to defeat erectile dysfunction. As you've read, Taddeo and Silvarole spent months speaking to 16 women who described inappropriate and uncomfortable encounters with the man who hasbeen camp director or president for many years at Circle C Ranch. Leaders at The Chapel said they, through MinistrySafe, also reported the allegations to law enforcement. In a March 26 interview with Buffalo TV station WKBWs 7 Eyewitness News Aarum said he had not been given the opportunity to defend himself by MinistrySafe and that witnesses who supported him had not been interviewed. Read the full story from News Staff Reporter Jay Tokasz. Click here to read the internal investigation. Marges love for the Lord led her, along with her other jobs, to be the teacher of a womens weekly Bible study. Nothing happened. The inappropriate behavior included stroking legs and touching clothed breasts and genital areas, according to a letter Norris sent to the New York State Office of Children and Family Services. I am who I am. And this started 20 years ago, said Fancher. Sticht, who said she worked at the summer camp from 2000 to 2003, said she witnessed Aarum hug a girl in a way that his fingers would be touching the underwire of her bra., Id see Wayne touching these girls, exactly the ones we knew he would, at the rock climbing wall, Stitch said. WAYNE AARUM. Mr. Petereson was willing to sell the land for the price of the mortgage - $14,800. ONE WEEK OF SUMMER CAMP Circle C Ranch 2023 Rate $345 WEEK 1: July 10th-15th (Monday - Saturday) WEEK 2: July 17th-22nd (Monday - Saturday) All meals included All lodging included All activities included REGISTER HERE FOR THE BEST WEEK EVER! investigation by USA TODAY Network New York State Team reporters Sarah Taddeo and Georgie Silvarole, These women say a Western NY pastor, Christian camp president abused them as teenagers, How emotional, spiritual abuse creates lasting trauma, Woman says she reported possible abuse at Circle C Ranch to police years ago, the camp announced a change for how it will operate this summer, Christian camp Circle C announces changes to summer program after abuse allegations surface, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Aarum, in recent sermons, has compared the accusations to Jesus being crucified by people he helped, as reported by The Roys Report. Many of these people say he could not have possibly done what he is accused. 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