Wayne Aarum, a pastor and operator of the Circle C Ranch Christian camp in Delevan, who has been accused of inappropriately touching at least 21 teenage girls in the past, is now suing The Chapel megachurch over what he says are manufactured allegations against him to gain control of the camp's land. Please click here to learn how. 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. Aarum and the Circle C board members did not respond when asked how this . Its a thrill to see what God has done over the years. Website Terms & Conditions | CCHOA Privacy Policy| Social Media Policy | Feedback, Copyright 2015 2022 Circle C Ranch HOA | Design by Austin Web Design.com, The Board of Directors meeting date and time is on the last Wednesday of the month at 6:30pm. All fourdid not respond. Pine brook was a great soul-winning camp and that summer hundreds of teens accepted Christ. The 2022-2023 CDC Board of Directors are: Warren Faulkner, President Melinda McKenna, Board Member David Wagner, Board Member Aaron Sotak, Board Member Randy Glenn, Board Member Sign-up for our newsletter! He later died in March 2020. 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. The Chapel recommended the camp to members of its congregation and contributed funds to help expand the camps facilities and enable the camp to operate on a basis that was affordable to campers from Christian church youth groups and families at all income levels," the suit continues. This is the Annual Report of the Board of Directors of the Circle C Homeowners Association. As an evangelist eh spoke at many youth camps during the summer and that desire to starta a camp grew even stronger. Please consider becoming a digital subscriber. The owner of this property was George Peterson who was a board member of the Bible Conference Wes directed. 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. Investigation: 16 women say this pastor and camp president abused them. 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. National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). 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. Such stories cannot be rushed. Snells lawsuit alleges that Circle C Ranch failed to investigate claims against Aarum in a timely fashion and report findings about his conduct, and failed to terminate him in light of his inappropriate and predatory actions and behaviors with minors, according to the paperwork. A USA TODAY Network Investigation found thatAarum, 55,touchedat least 16teenage girls inappropriately, according to their firsthand accounts. Aarum and the Circle C board members did not respond when asked how thisinvestigation was conducted and who conducted it. The details, the word choices and the extra effort to confirm facts and reach difficult-to-reach people all matter greatly. 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. He wanted to give his last years to the Lord and became the head man of the construction of the town. I don't know, but one thing I am sure of is that Taddeo and Silvarole will be ready to write about it. 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. Nothing happened. 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. Camps are also required to collect information about the vaccination status of each camper and staff member, and perform health screenings upon arrival. I have never touched anyone with any inappropriate motive," Aarum said in an email to USA TODAY Network reporters on April 28, 2021. To honor, Glorify and exalt the Lord Jesus Christ. It would have all the mystique of the Old West and it would look like a town in the 1800s. To enjoy our website, you'll need to enable JavaScript in your web browser. 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. Year Lots in the Association Lots paying full assessment . %%EOF 2023 www.democratandchronicle.com. . 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. It matters in suburbs. Main Office: 518-696-5676 Development Office: 518-696-5921. Woman says she reported possible abuse at Circle C Ranch to police years ago. Homeowners may also sign up to speak during the Homeowners Forum by calling the HOA manager at 512-288-8663 or sending an email to info@circlecranch.info at least a week before the meeting, in writing. Homeowners must be logged onto the site to view agendas and find the link to the ZOOM meetings. In the interests of fairness, the two reporters pursued interviews with supporters of Aarum. Call Jaymes today for a Free Market Analysis! The Board will send a reply through the HOA Office after the meeting. To make a donation,click here. You can also join. Aarum, 55,remains in his position as director of Circle C Ranch. Anne Stych is a writer in Charlotte, North Carolina. . That was of the Lord. 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. The board - which consists of Wayne Aarum, his brother, Wes, and Daryl Dekalb - posted a 34-page report on the. 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. He also currently serves as pastor of theFirst Baptist Church of Arcade, New York. The Circle C Child Development Center is a private, not-for-profit company with a volunteer board of directors. All rights reserved. 1179 0 obj <>stream Wes said he didnt know. This coverage is only possible with support from our readers. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. There was over 100 acres of good haying land on this property so they had plenty of feed for the horses. 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. The board of Circle Cs parent corporation, The Living Waters Ministries and people who are close to Aarum say he is innocent of the sexual harassment claims against him. Wes said none its for the Lord. 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. To reach the Ranch Association Executive Director Michele Brethower, click here. Earlier this week, Circle C Ranch staff members said the camp is open to house Afghan refugees arriving on U.S. soil after fleeing the Talibans takeover in the country, according to the story from WIVB in Buffalo. I found each of the women to be credible, one attorney who investigated the reports of abusetold our two reporters. 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. Your support allows us to continue to produce quality journalism, week in and week out. 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. 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. Time and again, even as the local news industry has been buffeted for a quarter-century by change, reporting by trained professionals continues tobe a catalyst for positive change in our communities. Like much of the world, they've been closely watching what's been unfolding in Afghanistan. Group led Water Aerobics starts on Tuesday May 2nd! Follow heronTwitter @Sjtaddeo. It matters in cities. 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 Yet the information reporters learn has to be vetted as well as it can be, too. Without a transmission line to transport the electricity generated by the windmills in an economically feasible fashion, the windmill projects economic value diminishes substantially, the lawsuit said. This includes our remarkable Board of Directors and alumni. The accounts of the women, describing incidents involving Wayne Aarum that took place when they were Circle C Ranch campers, are troubling and concerning. Dear Chapel family, 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. Missed chances:Woman says she reported possible abuse at Circle C Ranch to police years ago. But Norris, who founded Ministry Safe says she has over three decades experience litigating child sexual abuse issues, and tells 7 Eyewitness News: Few of the women who came forward during the investigation knew other; the behavior complained of spanned DECADES. A religious liberty newsletter that is a must-read for people of faith. Especially about potency and trying to defeat erectile dysfunction. 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. 7008 Cusseta SOLD in 14 days! 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.. 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. The Circle C Homeowners Association is a non-profit corporation governed by a seven member Board of Directors. 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. You learn and grow so much by working and camping there. Together they worked to increase contributions from the members of the church and expand the churchs membership with three satellite locations. Thank you for your support. Water exercise is for everyone! Getzville in New York, from 1991 to 2000 before becoming director of Circle C Ranch. The Board of Directors will meet on Wednesday, April 26, 2023 at 6:30pm at the Community Center. 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. At least 21 women have come forward to lawyers hired by The Chapel at Crosspoint where Aarum once served as a pastor to accuse him of inappropriate conduct decades ago when they were teens. Miracle after Miracle, God has provided for Circle C Ranch and as long as God continues to provide, we will continue to serve Him! 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.. Therefore, we have chosen to follow the instructions given by the Apostle Paul in Romans 13 to use the God-appointed government institutions and have officially lodged a legal complaint against The Chapel, the camp continued. 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. Oh, and if you have a good story tip, on any subject, please let us know. This testy relationship allegedly led one of Camardos staffers to recommend that he take up the cause of a woman who claimed Wayne Aarum had sexually harassed her while she was employed as a counselor at the Circle C Ranch camp in 2006, 13 years earlier.. 1172 0 obj <>/Filter/FlateDecode/ID[<68B4082DB4D6FC4383E0F28BC61E5849>]/Index[1154 26]/Info 1153 0 R/Length 94/Prev 389485/Root 1155 0 R/Size 1180/Type/XRef/W[1 3 1]>>stream The Double H Ranch is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Designed by Elegant Themes | Powered by WordPress. Got a story tip or comment? endstream endobj startxref Copyright 2021 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. The camp cited state restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic as the reason for the change. It is independent of the Circle C Ranch Homeowners Association. Circle C Ranch's board of trustees said they did their own investigation. 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. As Ross Barker said, without Marge we would have never made it. How true! He was born in Buffalo, NY into a godly family and at 17 years of age accepted Christ into his life. She is seeking compensatory and punitive damages to be determined at trial, according to the court filing. Wes had been a youth pastor, pastor, evangelist, leader in Youth for Christ and director of a Bible Conference. by Webmaster | Oct 20, 2014 | Board of Directors Meeting. The Christian Post reached out to Aarums lawyer as well as The Chapel about the allegations Tuesday but neither party was available to immediately respond. Aarum and the Living Waters Ministries Inc., according to the lawsuit, had maintained a peaceful, cooperative, and mutually supportive relationship with The Chapel for more than 30 years due to the founding of the two organizations by two close friends, James Andrews at The Chapel in 1961 and Wesley Aarum Sr. at the Circle C Ranch in 1968. 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. He met Margaret Stevenson who had been born on a farm in Pennsylvania (which would prepare her for life at the Ranch). The Circle C HOA Board of Directors will meet on Wednesday, January 27, at 6:30pm via ZOOM. , NY 12846. 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. Attorney Steven Long of Williamsvillelaw firm Long & Paulo-Lee, PLLC, who represents Aarum, did not immediately return requests for comment. 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. Jerry Gillis was appointed as lead pastor of the church in 2002 and Camardo joined the staff as executive pastor in 2010. 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. 2023 Board of Directors Goals Ross had been a board member of Canadian Youth for Christ when Wes had been the President and was such a blessing to that ministry. 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. The Aarum family has owned Circle C Ranch in Delevan for 54 years. Families can register online to attend camp overnightwith their children at Circle C Ranch on either July 9-11 or August 6-8. 1.) 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. Links to the ZOOM meetings and meeting agendas may be found on the website at www. "So much so, we are changing our traditional schedule to give your family the chance to experience everything we are offering this year.". You can also join via video conferencing (Zoom), the Zoom link can be found under the Resource tab and meetings are open to the community. Wayne Aarum, pastor accused of abusing teens, sues Buffalo megachurch The Chapel for $2.5M. 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. 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. 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. Instead, he used the allegation to begin a campaign to remove Wayne Aarum from his leadership at the Circle C Ranch, because he opposed the sale of camp land to a large wind project developer from Chicago. Read their stories. I have never had any sexual interaction with anyone other than my wife. A social worker can get anyone to say anything, Dekalb said. Homeowners are encourage to host their individual garage sales on 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 under the Home button. 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. Aarum has repeatedly denied any allegations of inappropriate conduct. The Child Development Center of Circle C Ranch | Photos by JR Flores | Site by Sommers Marketing + Public Relations. Reach him at mkilian@gannett.com. That was of the Lord. It all started in the heart of an evangelist named Wes Aarum. How easy is it to make anonymous declarations?. Circle C Ranch opened in the late 1960s on a 315-acre wooded parcel in rural Cattaraugus County. The CCHOA will host Circle C's Semi-Annual Garage Sale on Saturday, April 29th. %PDF-1.6 % 10109 Hibiscus Cove SOLD in 9 days! In . They have been a team that Gdo brought together. 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. Prior to 2020, when COVID-19 preventedthe camp from operating in the summer, Circle C Ranch would host grade and high school-agedchildren without their parents, according to former camp staff. The camps parent corporation, Living Waters Ministries, said in response: At the outset, a flat statement: Wayne Aarum, the Operations Director of the Circle C Ranch, never engaged in any of the conduct described in Ms. Norriss report.. 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. Bob asked what it was for? There really is no place like it. 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. However, we hope you will support our work with your prayers and financial gifts. 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 ]_] 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.. Judge Rules That Michigan Public University Violated the Rights of Christian Student Group, Citygate Network Seeks Greater Diversity in National Rescue Mission Leadership. Ministry Watch 2022 All rights reserved. "Double H Ranch changed my life in more ways than one. 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. Circle C also takes aim at Ministry Safes Kimberlee Norris and her work claiming the accusers were led down a garden path.. 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. Kens wife Joann was an R.N and she worked in a local hospital to help support them while the camp was being built. In school, our teachers told us to "show our math," or how we worked out a problem. 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 USA TODAY NETWORK asked for comment from five individuals whosupport the Ranch and the Aarums. When told it was for a youth camp, Bob wrote out a check for the amount needed. Minutes are generally posted a month following the meeting once they have been accepted.