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. None agreed to interviews on the recordfor this story, and they didnot provide additional sources who would be willing to comment on the record.". Keep reading with unlimited digital access. Cattaraugus County Sheriff's officials confirmed that they are investigating the matter. In her lawsuit, Snell accused Circle C Ranch and its parent organization, Living Waters Ministries, of negligently retaining Aarum on staff and thus allowing him unfettered and unsupervised access to minors on the campgrounds and during other activities, according to the court filing. But in 2020, something changed. The News reported in April on the allegations and Chapel investigation. Miracle after Miracle, God has provided for Circle C Ranch and as long as God continues to provide, we will continue to serve Him! 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. Im not the type of person to spread things around just to ruin someone, she said. She also said Aarum on occasion grabbed her from behind and pulled his pelvis tight to her body. Bob asked when he would pay it back? Carolyn McDonald, a former Circle C Ranch staffer, and Jerry Gillis, lead pastor at The Chapel, discuss the allegations against Wayne Aarum. Aarum is seeking $3.1 million in damages. Little did he realize that 23 years later God would let him have the desire of his heart. 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. Sticht said she brought the complaints to Wes Aarum, the brother of Wayne Aarum who was also involved in ministry at the camp. He assured them they wouldnt see this behavior again, she said. I dont want any more children to come through his camp.. Multiple women told the 7 Eyewitness News I-Team that Aarum would sometimes touch intimate areas and would grab their bra straps. "He totally denies any wrongdoing whatsoever," said Dekalb, who is also a former member of the Chapel board. After article publication, the law firm has been inundated with calls and emails from additional fact witnesses and victims. My byline has run in the Ithaca Journal, USA Today, the Rochester Democrat & Chronicle and the New York Times. Former Chapel minister, Circle C youth camp director denies sexual misconduct 3,079 views Mar 26, 2021 A Christian minister with ties to a Getzville megachurch and a popular Cattaraugus. The owner of this property was George Peterson who was a board member of the Bible Conference Wes directed. (Both boys are college graduates and are now full time in the ministry working with college as well as public and high school students.) However, we hope you will support our work with your prayers and financial gifts. That's a Christian camp for young people nearDelevan, New York, a village southeast of Buffalo and southwest of Rochester. 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. In May, New York set COVID-19 rules and restrictions for summer camps to operate after sleep-away camps were forced to close last year. 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. Copyright 2021 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. 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. "Wayne has ministered to thousands and thousands of kids over the years, and we never heard anything from anybody.". It takes courage to stand up to The Chapels leadership and demand that they stop spending large amounts of the members money pursuing a broad attack on Wayne Aarum that they believe is factually unsupportable, the statement said. I worked in the ministry, my wife and I have worked in this ministry, all of those same years that theyre talking about. In October 2020, they hired MinistrySafe founder Kimberlee Norris, who completed her investigation in December 2020. She was saved as a teenager, went to Buffalo and became a Registered Nurse. Wes said none its for the Lord. Three people were killed in the one-vehicle crash:Dakota Eldridge, 20, of Cheektowaga; Isabella French, 19, of Buffalo; and Azathiel Pabon, 1, Prosecutors accuse Abdul Hussein, 25, of intentionally firing at his co-worker, a 62-year-old man, who police found shot to death about 3:30 , Four people were arrested and drugs and guns were seized Wednesday as the Buffalo Police Narcotics Unit executed a search warrant in the 200 b, Five years later, despite promises to do right by abuse victims,the diocese has not paid a penny in damagesto an estimated900 people who fi. He said no one at the present and George said he would bring his crew up every weekend and do the job as a gift to the Lord. I have never touched anyone with any inappropriate motive," Aarum said in an email to USA TODAY Network reporters on April 28, 2021. Circle C stands for "Christ Centered" which is the purpose and continues to be the driving force. So what does Sabres GM Kevyn Adams do this week? He wanted to give his last years to the Lord and became the head man of the construction of the town. Last week's investigation by USA TODAY Network New York State Team reporters Sarah Taddeo and Georgie Silvarole is just such an example. It's vital people describing trauma or harm be listened to with sensitivity and patience; coming forward is often an act of courage. "So much so, we are changing our traditional schedule to give your family the chance to experience everything we are offering this year.". In addition, a contemporaneous writing provided evidence that the behaviors were previously reported to camp leadership. Yet the information reporters learn has to be vetted as well as it can be, too. 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. I have zero recollection of that. 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. We believe in the Divine Inspiration of the Bible, both the Old and New Testaments, the creation of man by the diret act of God, the Incarnation and virgin birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, His vicarious atonement for the sin of mankind, His death, burial, resurection, and His coming again bodily to take His saints to be with Him forever. The change comes less than a week after publication of aUSA TODAY Networkinvestigation, which found that the camp's director, WayneAarum, fostered improper relationships and touchedat least 16teenage girls inappropriately, some on multiple occasions, according to their firsthand accounts. It was 50 miles south of Buffalo, NY on a 315 acre piece of land that had been a farm. Some of the allegations date back to 1990s, when Aarum ran a ministry program for high school students at the Chapel. Last week, Aarum filed a civil lawsuit against The Chapel alleging defamatory statements. Click here to read the statement from Circle C Ranch. If you are new to the Web site, be sure to complete the Sign Up information to receive a password to the private and secured portions of the site. information shared on its website on Monday. I have zero recollection of that. Wayne Aarum, a former senior high minister at The Chapel at Crosspoint in Getzville, New York, current pastor of First Baptist Church in Arcade, 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. These women say a Western NY pastor, Christian camp president abused them as teenagers, He was my identity: How emotional, spiritual abuse creates lasting trauma. Officials at the Chapel said they were first made aware in 2019 of allegations about Aarum's inappropriate behavior at the camp and took that information to the Circle C Ranch board, according . We have reporters standing by. Leaders at The Chapel said they, through MinistrySafe, also reported the allegations to law enforcement. According to a report released by Ministry Safe, Wayne Aarum engaged in the following illicit activities: -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 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. Aarum has denied any wrongdoing, and he told his congregation in April that he never intended to offend anyone with his remarks or actions. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. 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. 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. She also attended First Baptist Church of Arcade, where Aarum is pastor, and volunteered at the Circle C Ranch in the winter. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Im not anonymous, she said. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. 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. Aarum has repeatedly denied any allegations of inappropriate conduct. But now that she is an adult, she said she would describe the interactions with girls as intimate and a form of grooming.. 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. ", "I'm not sure who's saying it and what they're referring to," he said. In late 2019, allegations of abuse against Aarum began picking up momentum when Carolyn McDonald, a former Circle C Ranch staffer who worked there in 2006, shared her story with leadership at The Chapel. 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. Copyright 2021 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way. Neither I nor MinistrySafe (or any representative of the law firm) have ever offered information for payment to Circle C or Living Waters Ministries. That was of the Lord. Such stories cannot be rushed. 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. I still dont know, although they have accused me and pretty much condemned me, I dont know what Im accused of, Aarum said. The Chapel first hired MinistrySafe in 2019 to improve its policies after unrelated sexual abuse allegations at its Lockport worship site were reported by The Buffalo News in 2019. Woman says she reported possible abuse at Circle C Ranch to police years ago. But Dekalb defended Aarum as a "true Christian" and said he had done nothing wrong. It would have board-walks, hitching rails, a Sheriffs office with two cells, an old country store, a dining hall, a chapel, cabins that could accommodate 192 campers plus 32 counselors, a swimming hole (pond) and a corral that contained a herd of horses. all you can eat pancakes, eggs, juice, and coffee. Carnahan described Aarums actions as grooming and sexual predation. She also accused Aarum of inflicting what she termed religious trauma on her. I don't know, but one thing I am sure of is that Taddeo and Silvarole will be ready to write about it. I think some of it, as an adult looking back, it crossed a line, she said. Daryl Dekalb, a Circle C board director, says that Aarum is a True Christian. A friend of Ross & Wes was a man named Bob Lowe who was a very successful businessman. He bought drugs on this website https://terrace-healthcare.com/news/generic-cialis.html. According to a . Carnahan said she was not among the 21 unidentified women cited in the investigative report. They have been a team that Gdo brought together. When told it was for a youth camp, Bob wrote out a check for the amount needed. To more or less prime the pump?. "This is why we're suspicious of these charges. set COVID-19 rules and restrictions for summer camps, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Keeping his hands on their bodies way too long when it wasnt necessary at all.. Our Goal: "To reach young people with the gospel of Jesus Christ, to encourage godliness in their lives, and to send them out as equipped witnesses for His kingdom." My evaluation of credibility is based upon 30 years of past experience interacting with fact witnesses and abuse survivors. Wayne Aarum, pastor accused of abusing teens, sues Buffalo megachurch The Chapel for $2.5M. Aarum said in his lawsuit that the relationship between the church and the camp began to cool after the death of church founder James Andrews in 1999 and the start of a more expansionist and financially oriented management of the church under new Lead Pastor Jerry Gillis. Former Circle C Ranch staffer discusses effects of abuse. Another alleged victim wrote to the I-Team that the inappropriate contact such as the unsolicited long hugs and hands near or on the breasts and hips were so disturbing that the youth group she was a part of confronted Aarum and his father. (renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax). Its a thrill to see what God has done over the years. She said she reported her complaints to Camardoafter Aarums denials were posted online at the camp website. Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way. Click here to read the full statement from The Chapel. This helps build confidence among readers inthe validity of the work. The Chapel in Amherst said it cut ties with the Circle C Ranch following an internal investigation by a Texas lawyer that found Wayne Aarum hadengaged in a pattern of inappropriate behaviors, such as stroking the legs and touching the clothed breasts and genital areas of young women and teenage girls. Mike Harrington: His team looks good, even without Alex Tuch. Bill wanted to make sure that every building was winterized so the camp could operate year round. 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.. The case has cracked a small window into the inner workings of the Chapel, one of the areas largest and most influential nondenominational Christian churches. As a result of her abuse, Snell experienced mental and psychological effects, including fear and anxiety that have required professional treatment, the lawsuit alleges. 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. 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. But she never saw any improvement in Wayne Aarums behavior, she said. But Carnahan said she has made clear on social media who she is and what she alleges Aarum did. We've seen nothing, heard nothing, and they're operating from an anonymous standpoint with everybody, and we believe they have an agenda to take over the ranch," Dekalb added. After meeting Wes and both of them realizing that someday they would be a team she went to Bible School to be better prepared to be the wife of a preacher. Aarum and his supporters have maintained that he is unable to properly address claims being brought against him because he doesnt know who has made them. We sift through all the news to give you a concise, informative look at the top headlines and must-read stories every weekday. However, this effort on behalf of Afghan refugees is an initiative launched and overseen by Circle C Ranch's. ORIGINAL STORY:. Some of the allegations date back to the 1990s, when Aarum ran a ministry program for high school students at The Chapel. I am who I am. Sarah Taddeo is an enterprisereporter for USA Today Network's New York State Team. Read the full story from News Staff Reporter Jay Tokasz. He met Margaret Stevenson who had been born on a farm in Pennsylvania (which would prepare her for life at the Ranch). 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. My youth group never went back to Circle C.. 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. 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. Through all this, Aarum remains as the Circle C camp president today. It was decided that he should be contacted and asked for a loan of $30,000. There is absolutely no credibility to any of these things, Dekalb said. I remember a lot of hugs lasting a little too long.. Investigation: 16 women say this pastor and camp president abused them. If you are not a subscriber, or if you want a friend or loved one to enjoy the D&C like you do, please share this link with them featuring special subscription offers:https://bit.ly/3zlqulC. Wayne Aarum, a former senior high minister at, in Getzville, New York, current pastor of. Former Chapel minister, Circle C youth camp director denies sexual misconduct Report stated 21 women have made allegations A Christian minister with ties to a Getzville megachurch and a popular. He also currently serves as pastor of theFirst Baptist Church of Arcade, New York. 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. Click here to read the internal investigation. 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