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. Little did he realize that 23 years later God would let him have the desire of his heart. information shared on its website on Monday. Last week, Aarum filed a civil lawsuit against The Chapel alleging defamatory statements. 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. Many say the former Chapel at Crosspoint minister and president of Circle C Ranch abused his spiritual authority over three decades -- and that the inappropriate contact with teen girls was the camps worst-kept secret. In school, our teachers told us to "show our math," or how we worked out a problem. Attorney Steven Long of Williamsvillelaw firm Long & Paulo-Lee, PLLC, who represents Aarum, did not immediately return requests for comment. Attorney Kimberlee Norris said she interviewed 21 women who alleged inappropriate touch by Aarum. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Pastor accused of touching girls sues Amherst church over allegations. 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. 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. It was decided that he should be contacted and asked for a loan of $30,000. 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. The owner of this property was George Peterson who was a board member of the Bible Conference Wes directed. read more Filed Under: Church They have been a team that Gdo brought together. 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. Now there was a need for the total of $40,000 to get things moving. Percy, as he wanted to be called, was considered by many as the founder of the Christian Camping Ministry. Wondering what your camper will need? Waynes brother, Wes, was highly regarded as a minister at the Chapel for many years, as well. 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. 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. Another alleged victim wrote to the I-Team that the inappropriate contact such as the unsolicited long hugs and hands near or on the breasts and hips were so disturbing that the youth group she was a part of confronted Aarum and his father. 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.. 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. This Summer we are looking to hire Staff to help facilitate our Summer Camp, Day Camp, and Family Camp programs! In an interview in March with WKBW-TV, Aarum said he had "zero recollection" of touching anyone inappropriately. He continues as First Baptist Church of Arcade pastor and Circle C Ranch director. 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 dont want any more children to come through his camp.. I have zero recollection of that. 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. 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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. Hannah Buehler reports. 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. Wayne Aarum, pastor accused of abusing teens, sues Buffalo megachurch The Chapel for $2.5M. Norris runs MinistrySafe, which provides training and screening to prevent child sex abuse in churches, camps, youth sports and other settings. Click here to read the full statement from The Chapel. 1.) However, we hope you will support our work with your prayers and financial gifts. They travelled over 100 miles one way every weekend until the job as done and then they donated all the fixtures as well. 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. The accused, Wayne Aarum, is the director of Circle C Ranch camp in Delevan, New York. 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. There is absolutely no credibility to any of these things, Dekalb said. "Circle C Ranch would ultimately determine the initial allegations were false through its own internal investigation. Hed get uncomfortably close to my face, and I remember thinking as a teenager about the tension of him being so close to my face, like is he trying to kiss me? said Carnahan, who now lives near Tampa and works in a restaurant. The details, the word choices and the extra effort to confirm facts and reach difficult-to-reach people all matter greatly. I am who I am. Kens wife Joann was an R.N and she worked in a local hospital to help support them while the camp was being built. Wayne Aarum, a former senior high minister at The Chapel at Crosspoint in Getzville, New York, current pastor of First Baptist Church in Arcade, New York, and the operator of Circle C Ranch youth camp in Delevan, New York, stands accused of sexually assaulting at least twenty-one girls in the 1990s. The work poses many challenges. Camps are also required to collect information about the vaccination status of each camper and staff member, and perform health screenings upon arrival. Aarum is seeking $3.1 million in damages. Delaware North scores with billboard with Sabres goalie Ukko-Pekka, well, you know Pastor accused of touching girls sues Amherst church over allegations, Watch now: Youth pastor, Christian camp director accused of inappropriately touching teen girls, 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. That can be the case in the busiest of news years (ahem, 2020) or on the slowest of news days. He was an authority figure and an adult; they were teenagers. The state's rules allow for the camps to operate with different restrictions for the vaccinated and unvaccinated, with campers over the age of five required to wear masks and maintain social distancing in most situations. 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. 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. Former Circle C Ranch staffer discusses effects of abuse. Finally, the notion that the allegations were planted or suggested by counselors or social workers is patently absurd.". You have permission to edit this article. She also attended First Baptist Church of Arcade, where Aarum is pastor, and volunteered at the Circle C Ranch in the winter. We believe in the Divine Inspiration of the Bible, both the Old and New Testaments, the creation of man by the diret act of God, the Incarnation and virgin birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, His vicarious atonement for the sin of mankind, His death, burial, resurection, and His coming again bodily to take His saints to be with Him forever. Many of these people say he could not have possibly done what he is accused. I think she is in a place in her life where shes ready to come forward, the former employee said. 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. Amherst Police officials did not respond to an inquiry by 7 Eyewitness News, but Daryl DeKalb, a board member at Circle C Ranch, said none of that is true and defended Aarum. Reach him at mkilian@gannett.com. Missed chances:Woman says she reported possible abuse at Circle C Ranch to police years ago. 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. Three people were killed in the one-vehicle crash:Dakota Eldridge, 20, of Cheektowaga; Isabella French, 19, of Buffalo; and Azathiel Pabon, 1, Prosecutors accuse Abdul Hussein, 25, of intentionally firing at his co-worker, a 62-year-old man, who police found shot to death about 3:30 , Four people were arrested and drugs and guns were seized Wednesday as the Buffalo Police Narcotics Unit executed a search warrant in the 200 b, Five years later, despite promises to do right by abuse victims,the diocese has not paid a penny in damagesto an estimated900 people who fi. My evaluation of credibility is based upon 30 years of past experience interacting with fact witnesses and abuse survivors. Access to MinistryWatch content is free. youth camp in Delevan, New York, stands accused of sexually assaulting at least twenty-one girls spanning decades. In response to that written statement, Kimberly Norris, one of the founders of MinistrySafe, and the attorney who did The Chapel investigation provided the following information: "Neither the Circle C board (or its parent corporation, Living Waters Ministries) has ever contacted me, MinistrySafe or the law firm of Love & Norris. Dekalb appeared to place blame on the women who have come forward, even though leaders at The Chapel have described them as credible and courageous. 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. "Due to Covid Restrictions we have decided to pour all of our resources into our family camp weekends," the website reads. 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. The conduct was at times private and at other times out in the open when other camp staffers would be able to witness it, according to Snells lawsuit. It is very difficult to do this kind of work successfully from across the room. The Chapel has thousands of members on its rolls and helped launched several other congregations in Western New York. After hearing a report of abuse by a former staffer at the Circle C Ranch, The Chapel hired Ministry Safe to conduct an investigation. We've seen nothing, heard nothing, and they're operating from an anonymous standpoint with everybody, and we believe they have an agenda to take over the ranch," Dekalb added. It matters in small towns. 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 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. ", "The USA TODAY NETWORK asked for comment from five individuals whosupport the Ranch and the Aarums. According to a report released by Ministry Safe. Some of the allegations date back to the 1990s, when Aarum ran a ministry program for high school students at The Chapel. He was born in Buffalo, NY into a godly family and at 17 years of age accepted Christ into his life. 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. Wes Aarum preaches at Kingdom Bound at Darien Lake in 2012. 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