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This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. There was a problem saving your notification. The owner of this property was George Peterson who was a board member of the Bible Conference Wes directed. Report stated 21 women have made allegations. You have permission to edit this article. 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. My byline has run in the Ithaca Journal, USA Today, the Rochester Democrat & Chronicle and the New York Times. Mr. Petereson was willing to sell the land for the price of the mortgage $14,800. 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. 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. We never saw anything even approaching this.. Sticht said she brought the complaints to Wes Aarum, the brother of Wayne Aarum who was also involved in ministry at the camp. Attorney Kimberlee Norris said she interviewed 21 women who alleged inappropriate touch by Aarum. Its all lightweight stuff theyre bringing up anyway, Dekalb said. The camp was founded by Wayne Aarums father Wes Aarum Sr., and both Wayne and his brother, Wes Aarum Jr., serve on the board. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Camardo also told the congregation there was no truth to the rumor that the Chapel was attempting to take over operation of the camp. 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. Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way. According to information shared on its website, Circle C Ranch said state restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic prompted the sudden change in programming to include now the parents of children. A USA TODAY Network Investigation found thatAarum, 55,touchedat least 16teenage girls inappropriately, according to their firsthand accounts. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Aarum and the Circle C board members did not respond when asked how thisinvestigation was conducted and who conducted it. You have permission to edit this article. She was saved as a teenager, went to Buffalo and became a Registered Nurse. "Circle C Ranch would ultimately determine the initial allegations were false through its own internal investigation. Just after the story published, the camp announced a change for how it will operate this summer, emphasizing the presence of families there and not individual teens. It would have all the mystique of the Old West and it would look like a town in the 1800s. Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. People brought this to his attention. Some former staff said Aarum typically targeted specific girls who were pretty, slim, emotionally fragile or those who had father issues and that girls complained to staff asking for help in avoiding [Aarum]., In a March statement, The Chapels board and pastoral leadership said both their leadership and MinistrySafe have found the allegations to be credible.. I dont want any more children to come through his camp.. I found each of the women to be credible; patterns of predatory behavior emerged and grew more egregious as time passed. Former Circle C Ranch staffer discusses effects of abuse. Aarum is seeking $3.1 million in damages. When told it was for a youth camp, Bob wrote out a check for the amount needed. 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. Circle C Ranch opened in the late 1960s on a 315-acre wooded parcel in rural Cattaraugus County. 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. Woman says she reported possible abuse at Circle C Ranch to police years ago. 10451 Ashcraft Rd Delevan, NY 14042 One of America's most exciting Christian Camps. Aarum, in recent sermons, has compared the accusations to Jesus being crucified by people he helped, as reported by The Roys Report. What else might develop? 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. 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. 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.. To more or less prime the pump?. Former Circle C Ranch staffer discusses effects of abuse. Call our office at: (716) 492-3687. Wayne Aarum, a former senior high minister at, in Getzville, New York, current pastor of. Fancher said the camp had documented instances in which other camp leaders had approached Aarum about his actions. So what does Sabres GM Kevyn Adams do this week? DeKalb suggested that the allegations were part of a campaign by Chapel leaders to acquire the youth camp. Marges love for the Lord led her, along with her other jobs, to be the teacher of a womens weekly Bible study. 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. Daryl Dekalb, a Circle C board director, says that Aarum is a True Christian. Clergy are mandated. 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. Aarum has denied the allegations and continues to serve on staff at the camp. The board which consists of Wayne Aarum, his brother, Wes, and Daryl Dekalb posted a 34-page report on the camp's website, along with a response to Norris report and various statements objecting to the Chapels actions. I have zero recollection of that. If you are interested in helping out please fill out the application below! 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. If you are experiencing difficulties logging in or are a subscriber getting a paywall, please try one or more of the following steps. 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. But Carnahan said she has made clear on social media who she is and what she alleges Aarum did. That always raises the risk that someone will find the teacher to be too close for comfort. This coverage is only possible with support from our readers. Does public speaking or speaking in a group make you nervous? 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. I worked in the ministry, my wife and I have worked in this ministry, all of those same years that theyre talking about. Some things have changed but these three things will never change! 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. 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. Nothing happened. And this started 20 years ago, said Fancher. 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. 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.. Its all lightweight stuff theyre bringing up anyway, Dekalb said. The accounts of the women, describing incidents involving Wayne Aarum that took place when they were Circle C Ranch campers, are troubling and concerning. He was not available Wednesday to speak to The News, said Dekalb. Delaware North scores with billboard with Sabres goalie Ukko-Pekka, well, you know Police release names of victims in Millersport Highway crash in Amherst, Man accused of fatally shooting co-worker arraigned on second-degree murder charge, Buffalo Police with search warrant seize drugs, guns, arrest four, 5 years after Buffalo Diocese sex abuse scandal erupted, victims still waiting for compensation, Two men arrested in the Southtowns after chase and search, 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. 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. Families can register online to attend camp overnightwith their children at Circle C Ranch on either July 9-11 or August 6-8. Another woman wrote that the hugs were so bad that he proceeded to rub my back and hug me for an uncomfortably long time, and did not let go when I tried to pull away.. A youth pastor and Christian camp director who was accused of inappropriately touching 21 girls is suing the Amherst megachurch that hired a lawyer to investigate the allegations. The News reported in April on the allegations and Chapel investigation. Please consider becoming a digital subscriber. For an overview of the site and a few ideas as to how it can help save you time and get you connected with your community, click About Our Website. Click here to read a copy of the MinistrySafe report submitted to state officials. 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. 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. Especially about potency and trying to defeat erectile dysfunction. We sift through all the news to give you a concise, informative look at the top headlines and must-read stories every weekday. Neither I nor MinistrySafe (or any representative of the law firm) have ever offered information for payment to Circle C or Living Waters Ministries. 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. He was an authority figure and an adult; they were teenagers. Email us at: info@circlecranch.org. 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. He met Margaret Stevenson who had been born on a farm in Pennsylvania (which would prepare her for life at the Ranch). 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. 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.. However, we hope you will support our work with your prayers and financial gifts. One of America's most exciting Christian Camps. 7 Eyewitness News has also heard from more than a dozen people who have reached out to defend Aarum. Wes said none its for the Lord. 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. 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. Email:[emailprotected] Less than a week after the USA TODAY Network New Yorkpublished its investigation into the allegations against Aarum in June, Circle C Ranch announced it would pivot its typical summer camp schedule for 2021 to family weekends, which would include parents as well as children. At this age, he began to take care of his health. 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. In early 2021, The Chapel held a members-only meeting to share some of the findings and to announce the church was suspending all activities and financial ties to Circle C Ranch. Yet for decades this alleged abuse continuedeven though leadership at both The Chapel and Circle C Ranch were confronted about Aarum's conduct at least 20 times in the past 24 years. 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 still dont know, although they have accused me and pretty much condemned me, I dont know what Im accused of, Aarum said. A camp director and pastor with ties to a megachurch in western New York has been accused of inappropriately touching more than 20 women when they were teenage girls. He has consistently denied all of the allegations against him. Tight hugging. WHAT TO BRING: WHAT NOT TO BRING: The church hired Norris last October to investigate. When the camp went to pay Bob back he made it a gift to the ministry. 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. Democrat & Chronicle and the People will Find the teacher to be the teacher of a campaign by leaders. 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