The Chapel also hired MinistrySafe, an independent legal firm that looks into abuse allegations in Christian settings, to investigate allegations that abuse occurred at The Chapel in the 1990s. I have been a staff reporter at The Buffalo News since 2002 and currently am part of the watchdog team. I found each of the women to be credible, one attorney who investigated the reports of abusetold our two reporters. The Ranch owed (Snell) a heightened, fiduciary duty of care because they held themselves out as being able to provide a safe and secure environment for children, the lawsuit read. The lawsuit alleges The Chapel's executive pastor, John Camardo, used the abuse allegations against Aarum as a way to damage Aarum'sreputation and ability to conduct business, according to the filings. And of course if you have any questions please email us or call the office at info@circlecranch.org or (716) 492-3687. MinistrySafe, the Texas organization hired by The Chapel to investigate the claims, stated that 27 people came forward to corroborate some of the alleged behaviors, though Aarum denied the allegations. Click here to read the statement from Circle C Ranch. I have never touched anyone with any inappropriate motive," Aarum said in an email to USA TODAY Network reporters on April 28, 2021. 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. 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. It finally became a reality when in 1968 he found the property where God wanted him to start that camp. Other alleged inappropriate behaviors are mentioned in the report. The camp was going to be a western town called Circle C Ranch (Circle C standing for Christ centered) and it would be legally owned by the Lord. The camp was founded by Wayne Aarums father Wes Aarum Sr., and both Wayne and his brother, Wes Aarum Jr., serve on the board. The Chapel has thousands of members on its rolls and helped launched several other congregations in Western New York. Last week, 7 Eyewitness News reported that at least 21 women have come forward to lawyers hired by The Chapel at Crosspoint to probe allegations of inappropriate touching and contact with girls by Aarum, a former employee of The Chapel who worked there in the 1990s. According to a . He met Margaret Stevenson who had been born on a farm in Pennsylvania (which would prepare her for life at the Ranch). For months, The Chapel facilitated conversations between women like McDonald, who say they were abused by Aarum,and the Circle C Ranch board of directors. But 7 Eyewitness News spoke with a former employee at the youth camp who said she has spoken with one of the alleged survivors. He was not available Wednesday to speak to The News, said Dekalb. 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. For his part, Aarum denies the claimsand defends his conduct, saying in an email, "I have never touched anyone with any inappropriate motive.". Website Terms & Conditions | CCHOA Privacy Policy| Social Media Policy | Feedback, Copyright 2015 2022 Circle C Ranch HOA | Design by Austin Web Design.com, South West Austin Toastmasters Welcomes Circle C Residents, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circle_C_Ranch. Specifically, in a portion of the story about Circle C's legal counsel having recommended at a meeting that Aarum resign, they took these steps: "The USA TODAY NETWORKreached out to Wayne Aarum, his son Josh Aarum, andboard members Daryl Dekalb and Wes Aarum Jr.for comment specifictothis matter. Some of the allegations date back to 1990s, when Aarum ran a ministry program for high school students at the Chapel. "He totally denies any wrongdoing whatsoever," said Dekalb, who is also a former member of the Chapel board. youth camp in Delevan, New York, stands accused of sexually assaulting at least twenty-one girls spanning decades. Mr. Petereson was willing to sell the land for the price of the mortgage $14,800. information shared on its website on Monday. 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. A few months later Wes realized he needed $10,000 more. 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. She also attended First Baptist Church of Arcade, where Aarum is pastor, and volunteered at the Circle C Ranch in the winter. 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. 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! If you are experiencing difficulties logging in or are a subscriber getting a paywall, please try one or more of the following steps. In the interests of fairness, the two reporters pursued interviews with supporters of Aarum. Women allege WNY Christian camp director has abused teens since 1990s. Some of the allegations date back to the 1990s, when Aarum ran a ministry program for high school students at The Chapel. 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. Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way. Through all this, Aarum remains as the Circle C camp president today. Teenagers have also historically made up the majority of employees at the camp, working as counselors, in the kitchen or in maintenance roles throughout the summers. Wondering what your camper will need? "This is why we're suspicious of these charges. 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. 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. 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 . Circle C stands for "Christ Centered" which is the purpose and continues to be the. Aarum, 55,remains in his position as director of Circle C Ranch. My evaluation of credibility is based upon 30 years of past experience interacting with fact witnesses and abuse survivors. The 75-page transcript, which was posted online at the Circle C website, reveals rifts within the congregation, with members pressing Camardo for details about the investigation of Wayne Aarum and the resignation of Wes Aarum. At 18 years of age he was the lifeguard at Pine brook, a very unique teen camp in Pennsylvania whose founder was Percy Crawford. Nothing happened. A friend of Ross & Wes was a man named Bob Lowe who was a very successful businessman. 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. 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. 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. No, he said when asked whether he ever touched anyone inappropriately. Keep reading with unlimited digital access. 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. Aarums lawsuit was filed by Amherst attorneys Steven K. Long and Olivia T. Paulo-Lee on Wednesday, the same day the Rochester Democrat & Chronicle published a detailed account quoting several other women who alleged inappropriate contact. 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. I dont want any more children to be affected. Snell could not be reachedafterrepeated attempts, including a letter to his home, phone calls and an email to his wife.". That's a Christian camp for young people nearDelevan, New York, a village southeast of Buffalo and southwest of Rochester. 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But the allegations are from a small percentage of the young people Aarum has worked with over the years. $10- ages 10+ $5- ages under 10 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. Oh, and if you have a good story tip, on any subject, please let us know. 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 sexually victimizing her between the ages of 9 and 16. Bob asked how much interest? When told it was for a youth camp, Bob wrote out a check for the amount needed. Check the lists below! That investigation found more than 20 women who said Wayne Aarum touched them inappropriately or fostered inappropriate and abusive relationships with them, both at The Chapel in the 1990s and later at Circle C Ranch, according to a report prepared by MinistrySafe investigator Kimberlee Norris. Its all lightweight stuff theyre bringing up anyway, Dekalb said. 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. 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. Pastor accused of touching girls sues Amherst church over allegations. 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. Editor's note: There are descriptions of alleged sexual abuse and opinions about survivors of alleged abuse that may be triggering to abuse survivors. We sift through all the news to give you a concise, informative look at the top headlines and must-read stories every weekday. Follow heronTwitter @Sjtaddeo. Sticht said she brought the complaints to Wes Aarum, the brother of Wayne Aarum who was also involved in ministry at the camp. Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way. 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. 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. She said, If they're thinking of sending their children there this summer, I want people to know.. 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. Chelsea Carnahan told The News that Aarum stroked her back, hair and legs during one-on-one counseling sessions when she was a Pioneer High School student from 2006 to 2010. The owner of this property was George Peterson who was a board member of the Bible Conference Wes directed. I think she is in a place in her life where shes ready to come forward, the former employee said. 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. In an interview in March with WKBW-TV, Aarum said he had "zero recollection" of touching anyone inappropriately. I am who I am. I can honestly say no., Aarum added, Did someone contact them before MinistrySafe did? INVESTIGATION: 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, More: Woman says she reported possible abuse at Circle C Ranch to police years ago. 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. The camp was going to be a western town called Circle 'C' Ranch (Circle 'C' standing for Christ centered) and it would be legally owned by the . 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. The camp is veering from its traditional model this summer, insteadfocusing on "Family Camp Weekends" in July and August, according to information shared on its website on Monday. Aarum has denied the allegations and continues to serve on staff at the camp. Anne Stych is a writer in Charlotte, North Carolina. 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