Aarum has denied the allegations and continues to serve on staff at the camp. Name* Email* CAPTCHA Phone This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. 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. When Andrew died in 1999, however, the new management at The Chapel became more expansionist and financially oriented, the suit argues. 2023 www.democratandchronicle.com. Throughout this entire time we have done our best in trying to resolve the issues they have put forth. Woman says she reported possible abuse at Circle C Ranch to police years ago. Access to MinistryWatch content is free. I don't know, but one thing I am sure of is that Taddeo and Silvarole will be ready to write about it. It's particularly true, though, when enterprising reporters receivea good story tip and stay with it until they get to the heart of an important story that otherwise would never have been told. We have repeatedly requested to know who the anonymous accusations are coming from and again, with the exception of one instance, they have refused. The Circle C Homeowners Association is a non-profit corporation governed by a seven member Board of Directors. 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. Judge Rules That Michigan Public University Violated the Rights of Christian Student Group, Citygate Network Seeks Greater Diversity in National Rescue Mission Leadership. Its a thrill to see what God has done over the years. Bob asked how much interest? ", "The USA TODAY NETWORK asked for comment from five individuals whosupport the Ranch and the Aarums. You can also join. 7008 Cusseta SOLD in 14 days! Circle C stands for "Christ Centered" which is the p The USA TODAY Network New York found that concerns about Aarum's behavior with girls were reported to leadership at both The Chapel and Circle C Ranch, and also to Aarum himself, at least 20 times since 1997, according to excerpts from the employee personnel file and interviews with youth group members at The Chapel, Circle C staff and pastors in the Western New York area. , NY 12846. She is seeking compensatory and punitive damages to be determined at trial, according to the court filing. CirCleC ranCh Krysten MeijaJaymes Willoughby 6013 York Bridge Circle SOLD in 7 days! As a result of her abuse, Snell experienced mental and psychological effects, including fear and anxiety that have required professional treatment, the lawsuit alleges. PDF Circle C Homeowners Association Board of Directors Report to the Aarum has repeatedly denied any allegations of inappropriate conduct. 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. 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. The Circle C Homeowners Association is a non-profit corporation governed by a seven member Board of Directors. Now there was a need for the total of $40,000 to get things moving. For thirty years, from 1968 to 1999, the close friendship between the Andrews family and the Aarum family was important for their organizations and their personal satisfaction with their work. Bob asked when he would pay it back? 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. Leadership of Circle C Christian Camp Defends Operations Director From 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. "The camp programs, which ran primarily in the summer, complemented [T]he Chapels youth programs, which ran primarily during the school year. Furthermore, Taddeo and Silvarole included what could be learned about how camp leaders dealt with complaints made about Aarum: "Circle C Ranch wouldultimately determinethe initial allegationswere false through its own internal investigation. The Circle C board goes on to accuse The Chapel of sponsoring anonymous claims from the alleged victims, even thought The Chapel says all information was unsolicited and the victims are not anonymous to The Chapel. In an exclusive interview with 7 Eyewitness News last month, Aarum and board member Daryl Dekalb made that same suggestion while strongly denying the allegations against him. Hope youll give us another try and check out some other articles. To make a donation,click here. Together they worked to increase contributions from the members of the church and expand the churchs membership with three satellite locations. But Wesley Aarum Sr. did not respect or trust Mr. Gillis and his financial ambitions, the lawsuit adds. 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. 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. What else might develop? Especially about potency and trying to defeat erectile dysfunction. 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. 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.. 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. All fourdid not respond. The Board of Directors will meet on Wednesday, May 31, 2023 at 6:30pm at the Community Center. This helps build confidence among readers inthe validity of the work. Nothing happened. According to its own investigation, which included interviews with adult supervisors who oversaw youth programs in the 90s- no one saw anything inappropriate take place. The Board of Directors welcomes questions during the Homeowners Forum, questions can be submitted to the HOA office by close of business on the Monday prior to the meeting and we will answer at the end of the meeting. 10109 Hibiscus Cove SOLD in 9 days! Read their stories. 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. That was of the Lord. He bought drugs on this website https://terrace-healthcare.com/news/generic-cialis.html. Contact Us - Circle C Child Development Center 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. Designed by Elegant Themes | Powered by WordPress. He never asked for a quid pro quo of any kind for The Chapels contributions.. "Circle C Ranch would ultimately determine the initial allegations were false through its own internal investigation. We have reporters standing by. In late 2019, allegations of abuse 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. Investigation: 16 women say this pastor and camp president abused them. 2023 Board of Directors Goals Percy, as they wanted to call him, was considered by many to be the founder of the Christian Camp Ministry. He met Margaret Stevenson who had been born on a farm in Pennsylvania (which would prepare her for life at the Ranch). A religious liberty newsletter that is a must-read for people of faith. As Ross Barker said, without Marge we would have never made it. How true! Circle C Ranch: Wayne Aarum's behavior brought to life by journalists hb```, x ` 0rBJCYXCZZ})4 kaH@s@#@fg,@,c%C}Ip*6pkZGWGh94Hv `BPa6 2ut@2:2> B;X &s&6faffyLffIW'6 ``g`[pq!wMm|7Bu5fd``47%'X?BT1z ]_] Laura Snell, 22, of Alexandria, Virginia, previously spoke about her allegations against Aarum as part of a USA TODAY Network New York investigation in June, which detailed claims of sexual and emotional abuse against Aarum from 16 women over two decades. It was decided that he should be contacted and asked for a loan of $30,000. Although he considered this womans accusation to be criminal in nature, Mr. Camardo did not make a report to any law enforcement authority or encourage the woman to do so. Facing abuse allegations, Circle C Ranch announces summer changes 10611 Ames Lane SOLD in 4 days! Michael Kilian is executive editor of the Democrat and Chronicle. Thank you for your support. In the civil lawsuit filed on June 2, Aarum, 55, who leads the First Baptist Church of Arcade, and sits on the board of the Living Waters Ministries Inc., which runs the Christian camp, is seeking a collective $3.125 million in damages from The Chapel for "harm to reputation, mental anguish, humiliation, embarrassment, and emotional injury," as well as financial damages. It's vital people describing trauma or harm be listened to with sensitivity and patience; coming forward is often an act of courage. "Double H Ranch changed my life in more ways than one. 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. The 315 acres of land owned by Plaintiff Living Waters Ministries Inc. lies astride the most direct route for the windmill projects essential transmission line. It is a credit to Taddeo's and Silvarole's reporting that they did everything humanly possible to find out more about what has occurred over the years at Circle C. Ranch. Links to the ZOOM meetings and meeting agendas may be found on the website at www. In school, our teachers told us to "show our math," or how we worked out a problem. Member will be given 3 minutes to address the board. 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. The church continued to contribute financially to the camp each year and recommended it to families. Prior to becoming director of Circle C Ranch, Aarum worked as a youth pastor atBuffalo-area megachurch The Chapel in the 1990s. Aarum and the Circle C board members did not respond when asked how this . More:Christian camp Circle C announces changes to summer program after abuse allegations surface. Yet the information reporters learn has to be vetted as well as it can be, too. The details, the word choices and the extra effort to confirm facts and reach difficult-to-reach people all matter greatly. In her lawsuit, filed last month in Cattaraugus County under the state Child Victims Act, Snell claims Aarum, 55, touched her inappropriately between 2008 and 2015, when she was a minor, including touching her genitals, breasts and buttocks; rubbing her inner and upper thighs and pressing his pelvis into her back. "Due to Covid Restrictions we have decided to pour all of our resources into our family camp weekends," the website reads. Please click here to learn how. Bill wanted to make sure that every building was winterized so the camp could operate year round. Circle C Ranch opened in the late 1960s on a 315-acre wooded parcel in rural Cattaraugus County. Follow heronTwitter @Sjtaddeo. During his tenure at The Chapel, pastors spoke to Aarum multiple times about his conduct with girls in the youth group, according to excerpts from Aarums employee personnel file at The Chapel. Congregational Statement Regarding Former Employee & Youth Camp Director A USA TODAY Network Investigation found thatAarum, 55,touchedat least 16teenage girls inappropriately, according to their firsthand accounts. Being a 15 year old girl, newly diagnosed with leukemia, your entire world is crazy. To reach young people with the Gospel of Jesus Christ so that they may know that they are born again. A spokesperson for The Chapel says it has absolutely no interest in acquiring Circle C Ranch., But the Circle C board says thats simply not true, and claims The Chapel has put forth a campaign to destroy Wayne Aarums reputation., Everything thats been presented to us is anonymous, said Dekalb about the accusations. 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. %%EOF Wayne Aarum, a pastor and operator of theCircle C RanchChristian camp in Delevan, who has been accused ofinappropriately touchingat least 21 teenage girls in the past, is now suingThe Chapelmegachurch over what he says are manufactured allegations against him to gain control of the camps land. The family camp experience includes activities likechapel services, all-you-can-eat meals, horseback riding, laser tag androck wall climbing, according to the website, andfamilies will stay overnight together in the camp's on-site lodging. 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. 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. 2021 5622 5612 2022 5622 5612 Circle C Governing Documents All of the Circle C HOA's defining documents can be found on the HOA website at . It matters in small towns. Cattaraugus County camp offering to house refugees from Afghanistan Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way. Working at Circle C Ranch: Employee Reviews | Indeed.com endstream endobj 1155 0 obj <. 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. 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. Such stories cannot be rushed. I pledge to you this:TheD&Cteam will do its best to serve Greater Rochester and each of our readers every single day. Homeowners must be logged onto the site to view agendas and find the link to the ZOOM meetings. Percy, as he wanted to be called, was considered by many as the founder of the Christian Camping Ministry. Jerry Gillis was appointed as lead pastor of the church in 2002 and Camardo joined the staff as executive pastor in 2010. The preschool and its programs are funded by tuition, fees and fundraising. On week ends there would be scores of men donating their time to help build the camp and Wes wife Marge was kept very busy feeding all these volunteers. God knew that Wes would need a man that would be a confidant, a prayer partner, on who could give wise counsel and one who had the same soul-winning burden and vision for the camp that he had. These persons said they'dwitnessedAarumsactions, or heard aboutthemfrom staff or loved ones. When requesting that we follow the guidelines for settling disputes as outlined by Jesus in Matthew 18, we were told that Matthew 18 doesnt apply. At 18 years of age he was the lifeguard at Pine brook, a very unique teen camp in Pennsylvania whose founder was Percy Crawford. The camp was founded by Wayne Aarums father Wes Aarum Sr., and both Wayne and his brother, Wes Aarum Jr., serve on the board. All rights reserved. Nothing happened. He never asked for a representative on the board of directors of the Living Waters Ministries Inc. This is the Annual Report of the Board of Directors of the Circle C Homeowners Association. Families can register online to attend camp overnightwith their children at Circle C Ranch on either July 9-11 or August 6-8. 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 this age, he began to take care of his health. Wayne Aarum, pastor accused of abusing teens, sues Buffalo megachurch The Chapel for $2.5M. set COVID-19 rules and restrictions for summer camps, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. At least 21 women reportedly told lawyers hired by The Chapel that they were inappropriately touched by Aarum who worked with the church as one of the directors of student youth groups from 1990 to 2000. And at its best, local journalism reveals truths that leaders and institutions of importance would much prefer remain hidden. Last week's investigation by USA TODAY Network New York State Team reporters Sarah Taddeo and Georgie Silvarole is just such an example. https://terrace-healthcare.com/news/generic-cialis.html. 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. 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. Keller Williams Realty, Three Barton Skyway, 1221 S Mopac, Ste.120, Austin TX 78746 Water exercise is for everyone! Pastor accused of touching at least 21 girls sues megachurch for defamation in $3.1M lawsuit, RFK Jr. says he opposes allowing men to compete in women's sports, Kirk Cameron cries tears of 'gratitude and hope' at story hour event, Charles Stanley's grandson apologizes for auctioning off late pastor's items on eBay: 'My family was pretty upset', Courage is fear that has said its prayers, The End Times battle calls for Spirit-led living, 5 reasons why prayer must accompany evangelism, What people use WhatsApp, Telegram for in Iran, Afghanistan might surprise you, Myth 18: Divorce is the unpardonable sin and 'God hates divorce', Evangelical woman: New immigration bill will increase human trafficking risk, How she fought back after assault by Hillsong Church administrator, Hillsong disappointed after Darnell Barrett resigns in wake of explicit photos, Citing infidelity, Hillsong Church Montclairs creative director resigns, Senior pastor, football coach arrested for relationship with 17-y-o student, Twitter suspends 'genderfluid anti-Christ' user for image of pedophile pride flag, After Tucker Carlson exit, Glenn Beck claims Fox CEO Rupert Murdoch told him not to talk about God on-air, Number of teens who identify as LGBT skyrockets: CDC, Alliance University accreditation under review; AU president calls move a bit premature. If you're on the Circle C website, the camp has seven new documents that outline why they say Aarum is innocent. Circle C Ranch | One of America's Most Exciting Christian Camps Copyright 2021 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. More history on Circle C Ranch can be found at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circle_C_Ranch. The Board will send a reply through the HOA Office after the meeting. PDF Volume 18, Number 01 January 2021 www.circlecranch.com Circle C The windmill project developer made efforts, beginning in 2015 and continuing in 2019 to purchase access to the land controlled by the board of directors of Living Waters Ministries Inc. both for the construction and operation of very large windmills and for the construction and operation of the very large transmission line associated with the windmill project.