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.. Aarum, in recent sermons, has compared the accusations to Jesus being crucified by people he helped, as reported by The Roys Report. Getzville in New York, from 1991 to 2000 before becoming director of Circle C Ranch. It was 50 miles south of Buffalo, NY on a 315 acre piece of land that had been a farm. 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. The Circle C Homeowners Association is a non-profit corporation governed by a seven member Board of Directors. You learn and grow so much by working and camping there. 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. 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. 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. That can be the case in the busiest of news years (ahem, 2020) or on the slowest of news days. A social worker can get anyone to say anything, Dekalb said. How easy is it to make anonymous declarations?. 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. 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. All rights reserved. They have been a team that Gdo brought together. Through all this, Aarum remains as the Circle C camp president today. For over one and a half years The Chapel has been leading an aggressive campaign against Circle C Ranch, our family, and the ministry legacy of Mr. Wes. information shared on its website on Monday. There really is no place like it. 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. . 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. 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. Copyright 2021 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. As Ross Barker said, without Marge we would have never made it. How true! A few months later Wes realized he needed $10,000 more. 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. At this age, he began to take care of his health. CirCleC ranCh Krysten MeijaJaymes Willoughby 6013 York Bridge Circle SOLD in 7 days! At 18 years of age he was the lifeguard at Pine brook, a very unique teen camp in Pennsylvania whose founder was Percy Crawford. 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. Reach him at mkilian@gannett.com. Attorney Steven Long of Williamsvillelaw firm Long & Paulo-Lee, PLLC, who represents Aarum, did not immediately return requests for comment. Follow heronTwitter @Sjtaddeo. It all started in the heart of an evangelist named Wes Aarum. 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. . Access to MinistryWatch content is free. 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, as well as be added to our email list. Year Lots in the Association Lots paying full assessment . 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. 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. That was of the Lord. National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). None agreed to interviews on the recordfor this story, and they didnot provide additional sources who would be willing to comment on the record.". 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. That was of the Lord. 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. He later died in March 2020. Aarum has denied the allegations and continues to serve on staff at the camp. 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. Mr. Barker became the Vice-president and chairman fo the Circle C Ranch Board adn has worked with Wes in that capacity up to this very day. It matters in suburbs. Homeowners must be logged onto the site to view agendas and find the link to the ZOOM meetings. 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. The Circle C HOA Board of Directors will meet on Wednesday, January 27, at 6:30pm via ZOOM. The Aarum family has owned Circle C Ranch in Delevan for 54 years. Women allege WNY Christian camp director has abused teens since 1990s. 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. In investigative journalism, it's vital reporters show their efforts to confirm facts and to reach people. 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. That's a Christian camp for young people nearDelevan, New York, a village southeast of Buffalo and southwest of Rochester. 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. Aarum has repeatedly denied any allegations of inappropriate conduct. 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. 1.) Its a thrill to see what God has done over the years. circlecranch.com under the "Resource" tab. To reach young people with the Gospel of Jesus Christ so that they may know that they are born again. The Double H Ranch is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. All fourdid not respond. 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. I pledge to you this:TheD&Cteam will do its best to serve Greater Rochester and each of our readers every single day. Like much of the world, they've been closely watching what's been unfolding in Afghanistan. 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. It was decided that he should be contacted and asked for a loan of $30,000. 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. The work poses many challenges. 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 makes a difference to people of all backgrounds and life experiences. Pine brook was a great soul-winning camp and that summer hundreds of teens accepted Christ. Wes said he didnt know. The Chapel also hired MinistrySafe, an independent legal firm that looks into abuse allegations in Christian settings, to investigate allegations that abuse occurred at The Chapel in the 1990s. That man was Mr. Ross Barker a businessman from Toronto. 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. Marges love for the Lord led her, along with her other jobs, to be the teacher of a womens weekly Bible study. My evaluation of credibility is based upon 30 years of past experience interacting with fact witnesses and abuse survivors., She goes on to say, The notion that the allegations were planted or suggested by counselors or social workers is patently absurd.. 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.. To enjoy our website, you'll need to enable JavaScript in your web browser. Aarum left his role at The Chapel in 2000. I have never had any sexual interaction with anyone other than my wife. https://terrace-healthcare.com/news/generic-cialis.html. Please click here to learn how. Wes held a crusade in Montana and there God gave him 2 men, Ken Strait & Russ Alexander who were great with horses and hammers and they came east to help build the camp. Percy, as he wanted to be called, was considered by many as the founder of the Christian Camping Ministry. What else might develop? They know Mr. Aarum personally, often for decades, and they know he would never intentionally harm anyone.. Designed by Elegant Themes | Powered by WordPress. %PDF-1.6 % Mr. Petereson was willing to sell the land for the price of the mortgage $14,800. 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. If you would like a hard copy, please contact the HOA office at 512-288-8663. To make a donation,click here. Some things have changed but these three things will never change! Thank you for your support. 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. They travelled over 100 miles one way every weekend until the job as done and then they donated all the fixtures as well. Circle C Ranch's board of trustees said they did their own investigation. Your support allows us to continue to produce quality journalism, week in and week out. The Board will send a reply through the HOA Office after the meeting. When the camp went to pay Bob back he made it a gift to the ministry. It was 50 miles south of Buffalo, NY on a 315 acre piece of land that had been a farm. Main Office: 518-696-5676 Development Office: 518-696-5921. 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. Growth of Circle C Ranch . 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. 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. I don't know, but one thing I am sure of is that Taddeo and Silvarole will be ready to write about it. Such stories cannot be rushed. And at its best, local journalism reveals truths that leaders and institutions of importance would much prefer remain hidden. Circle C board defends accused camp director Weeks after a Delevan minister and local camp director Wayne Aarum was accused of sexual misconduct by 21 former campers and staffers, the Circle. 1179 0 obj <>stream 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. DELEVAN, N.Y. (WKBW) Weeks after a Delevan minister and local camp director Wayne Aarum was accused of sexual misconduct by 21 former campers and staffers, the Circle C camp director has not stepped down. Bob asked how much interest? Last week, Aarum filed a civil lawsuit against The Chapel alleging defamatory statements. "Circle C Ranch would ultimately determine the initial allegations were false through its own internal investigation. 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. "I'm just completely. "Due to Covid Restrictions we have decided to pour all of our resources into our family camp weekends," the website reads. To reach the Ranch Association Executive Director Michele Brethower, click here. To honor, Glorify and exalt the Lord Jesus Christ. Nothing happened. Return to homepage. Anne Stych is a writer in Charlotte, North Carolina. 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. The preschool and its programs are funded by tuition, fees and fundraising. 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. Throughout this entire time we have done our best in trying to resolve the issues they have put forth. Toll free: (866) 364-9980, Kanakuk Petition Reaches 15,000 Signatures, Southern Baptist Conventions Lawyers to Cut Ties after Vote to Waive Privilege, Christian and Missionary Alliance to Leave Colorado Springs for Ohio, Arkansas Judge Dismisses Duggar Sisters Lawsuit, Christian Filmmaker Arrested Following Investigation of Child Sex Predators. This helps build confidence among readers inthe validity of the work. 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.. Woman says she reported possible abuse at Circle C Ranch to police years ago. For his part, Aarum denies the claimsand defends his conduct, saying in an email, "I have never touched anyone with any inappropriate motive.". Judge Rules That Michigan Public University Violated the Rights of Christian Student Group, Citygate Network Seeks Greater Diversity in National Rescue Mission Leadership. The Circle C Homeowners Association is a non-profit corporation governed by a seven member Board of Directors. 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. This coverage is only possible with support from our readers. 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. The camp was founded by Wayne Aarums father Wes Aarum Sr., and both Wayne and his brother, Wes Aarum Jr., serve on the board. Shortly after her graduation they were married. Have questions about what happened at your last Associations Board Meeting, well this folder has the answers. Help keep The Christian Post free for everyone by making a one-time donation today. More history on Circle C Ranch can be found at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circle_C_Ranch. More:Christian camp Circle C announces changes to summer program after abuse allegations surface. Name* Email* CAPTCHA Phone This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Snell could not be reachedafterrepeated attempts, including a letter to his home, phone calls and an email to his wife.". 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. 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. 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.. 10614 Redmond Rd SOLD in 7 days! set COVID-19 rules and restrictions for summer camps, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. 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.
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