A friend of Ross & Wes was a man named Bob Lowe who was a very successful businessman. Kens wife Joann was an R.N and she worked in a local hospital to help support them while the camp was being built. According to a report released by Ministry Safe. Yet the information reporters learn has to be vetted as well as it can be, too. 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. A number of women former high school youth group members under Aarums leadership brought allegations of sexual and emotional abuse against Aarum from that time period earlier this year. Aarum denied such behavior last week, saying, I can tell you right now I never did thatand I would love an opportunity to talk to them.. Carolyn McDonald, a former Circle C Ranch staffer, and Jerry Gillis, lead pastor at The Chapel, discuss the allegations against Wayne Aarum. We sift through all the news to give you a concise, informative look at the top headlines and must-read stories every weekday. Please consider becoming a digital subscriber. In addition, a contemporaneous writing provided evidence that the behaviors were previously reported to camp leadership. Click here to read the full statement from The Chapel. But she said that it is important that parents be aware of the allegations when making decisions about their kids. "He totally denies any wrongdoing whatsoever," said Dekalb, who is also a former member of the Chapel board. OPTION 1: Bring your Youth Group. Sometimes he would grab her from behind and pull his pelvis tight to her body, she said. 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. The camp cited state restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic as the reason for the change. This coverage is only possible with support from our readers. A USA TODAY Network Investigation found thatAarum, 55,touchedat least 16teenage girls inappropriately, according to their firsthand accounts. As an evangelist eh spoke at many youth camps during the summer and that desire to starta a camp grew even stronger. The Circle C Homeowners Association is a non-profit corporation governed by a seven member Board of Directors. In October 2020, they hired MinistrySafe founder Kimberlee Norris, who completed her investigation in December 2020. 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. Miracle after Miracle, God has provided for Circle C Ranch and as long as God continues to provide, we will continue to serve Him! 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. Over the last year, we have shared several updates regarding our response to the allegations brought to us of inappropriate behavior of Wayne Aarum, a former employee of The Chapel, current President of Circle C Ranch (a youth camp in the Western New York region) and Pastor at First Baptist Church of Arcade. We have TWO options for bringing campers to Snow Camp. I remember looking at my friend in pure terror., This woman said that at times Aarum would corner her in the camp and that one time, when she was 15 years old, he told her, youre just so beautiful and guys are going to want to be with you and have sex with you because youre so beautiful., She said, the staff all knew about it. 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. Wes said he didnt know. 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. In the interests of fairness, the two reporters pursued interviews with supporters of Aarum. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Aarum denies the allegations against him and continues to operate the Circle C Ranch. Aarum and the Circle C board members did not respond when asked how this . 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. Neither I nor MinistrySafe (or any representative of the law firm) have ever offered information for payment to Circle C or Living Waters Ministries. (renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax). However, this effort on behalf of Afghan refugees is an initiative launched and overseen by Circle C Ranch's. 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. 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. Toll free: (866) 364-9980, Sex Abuse Survivors Call for System-Wide Audit of Southern Baptist Convention, Church Hires GRACE to Investigate Allegations of Sexual Abuse by Musician Chris Rice, Facing Trial, Brian Houston Steps Aside as Global Senior Pastor of Hillsong, Mercy Corps Rocked by Sexual Abuse Claims Against Founder, Alabama Church Leader Charged with Sexually Abusing Member of Her Youth Group. 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?. 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. He previously has said that Chapel leaders were not seeking to take control of the Circle C Ranch board or the camp property. He wanted to give his last years to the Lord and became the head man of the construction of the town. At 18 years of age he was the lifeguard at Pine brook, a very unique teen camp in Pennsylvania whose founder was Percy Crawford. It was decided that he should be contacted and asked for a loan of $30,000. I have never touched anyone with any inappropriate motive," Aarum said in an email to USA TODAY Network reporters on April 28, 2021. The work poses many challenges. "This is why we're suspicious of these charges. In school, our teachers told us to "show our math," or how we worked out a problem. That can be the case in the busiest of news years (ahem, 2020) or on the slowest of news days. I have been a staff reporter at The Buffalo News since 2002 and currently am part of the watchdog team. Chapel leaders say they began hearing troubling allegations about Aarum in October 2019 and again in February 2020. In addition to his duties at Circle C Ranch, Aarum also currently serves as a pastor at First Baptist Church of Arcade in Wyoming County. Anne Stych is a writer in Charlotte, North Carolina. WHAT TO BRING: WHAT NOT TO BRING: Keep reading with unlimited digital access. "Circle C Ranch would ultimately determine the initial allegations were false through its own internal investigation. Aarum, in recent sermons, has compared the accusations to Jesus being crucified by people he helped, as reported by The Roys Report. 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. 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! A few months later Wes realized he needed $10,000 more. If I have offended you, I will apologize, he said during a church service in April. Click here to read the internal investigation report provided by Circle C Ranch. What else might develop? And at its best, local journalism reveals truths that leaders and institutions of importance would much prefer remain hidden. 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. 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." 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. Investigation: 16 women say this pastor and camp president abused them. Weve asked for any information they can give ustheyve given us nothing, Aarum said. 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. Thursday, April 8, 2021. An alleged victim who is now 25 and who said she was heavily involved at Circle C said, He would sit next to me and put his hand on my leg and rub my inner thigh and outer thigh. 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. Oh, and if you have a good story tip, on any subject, please let us know. The owner of this property was George Peterson who was a board member of the Bible Conference Wes directed. 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. I have been a staff reporter at The Buffalo News since 2002 and currently am part of the watchdog team. ContactSarahat STADDEO@Gannett.com or (585) 258-2774. 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. I worked in the ministry, my wife and I have worked in this ministry, all of those same years that theyre talking about. 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.. 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. 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. 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. The church hired Norris last October to investigate. They know Mr. Aarum personally, often for decades, and they know he would never intentionally harm anyone.. 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. 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. None agreed to interviews on the recordfor this story, and they didnot provide additional sources who would be willing to comment on the record.". 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. Its a thrill to see what God has done over the years. "Wayne has ministered to thousands and thousands of kids over the years, and we never heard anything from anybody.". 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. A detailed report written by Norris to State Children and Family Services officials was given Sunday to the 21 women who came forward. 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. Copyright 2021 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Call our office at: (716) 492-3687. Im not anonymous, she said. Judge Rules That Michigan Public University Violated the Rights of Christian Student Group, Citygate Network Seeks Greater Diversity in National Rescue Mission Leadership. The details, the word choices and the extra effort to confirm facts and reach difficult-to-reach people all matter greatly. "So much so, we are changing our traditional schedule to give your family the chance to experience everything we are offering this year.". While holding a crusade in Erie, PA Wes met a man named George Mckinley who asked him who was doing the plumbing for the camp? If you are interested in helping out please fill out the application below! 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. Mike Harrington: His team looks good, even without Alex Tuch. He also currently serves as pastor of theFirst Baptist Church of Arcade, New York. ORIGINAL STORY:. Circle C stands for "Christ Centered" which is the purpose and continues to be the. (Both boys are college graduates and are now full time in the ministry working with college as well as public and high school students.) 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. I don't know, but one thing I am sure of is that Taddeo and Silvarole will be ready to write about it. Prior to becoming director of Circle C Ranch, Aarum worked as a youth pastor atBuffalo-area megachurch The Chapel in the 1990s. She also said Aarum on occasion grabbed her from behind and pulled his pelvis tight to her body. 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 accused, Wayne Aarum, is the director of Circle C Ranch camp in Delevan, New York. Circle C Ranch, the Christian children's camp in western New York facing allegations that its director has inappropriately touched teenage girls, announced drastic changes to its summer. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. 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. 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