You have permission to edit this article. 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! But Carnahan said she has made clear on social media who she is and what she alleges Aarum did. As a result of her abuse, Snell experienced mental and psychological effects, including fear and anxiety that have required professional treatment, the lawsuit alleges. 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. I have never touched anyone with any inappropriate motive," Aarum said in an email to USA TODAY Network reporters on April 28, 2021. Chapel leaders say they began hearing troubling allegations about Aarum in October 2019 and again in February 2020. Access to MinistryWatch content is free. Circle C Ranch opened in the late 1960s on a 315-acre wooded parcel in rural Cattaraugus County. 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. Two other days, July 3 and 31, are designated as "Family Fun Days," according to the website. {{start_at_rate}} {{format_dollars}} {{start_price}} {{format_cents}} {{term}}, {{promotional_format_dollars}}{{promotional_price}}{{promotional_format_cents}} {{term}}, Youth pastor, Christian camp director accused of inappropriately touching teen girls, 21 women who alleged Aarum touched them inappropriately, Sabres place Alex Tuch on injured reserve; top-line winger's status is uncertain, Nebraska cheerleader competes by herself at state competition, but crowd doesn't let her feel alone. Follow heronTwitter @Sjtaddeo. Call our office at: (716) 492-3687. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. And this started 20 years ago, said Fancher. Carolyn McDonald, a former Circle C Ranch staffer, and Jerry Gillis, lead pastor at The Chapel, discuss the allegations against Wayne Aarum. All fourdid not respond. Youth pastor, Christian camp director accused of inappropriately touching teen girls. 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. Reach him at mkilian@gannett.com. I, myself, personally 20 years ago sat down with Mr. Wes (Wayne Aarums father) and said, I love Wayne with all my heart, but I saw him interact in a way that was just inappropriate. , Fancher said he also has heard firsthand accounts from women who are truly victims.. This was maybe 12 or so years ago. Theyspoke to 19 other individuals including persons who worked at the camp, relatives and local pastors. 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. 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. It matters in small towns. I have been a staff reporter at The Buffalo News since 2002 and currently am part of the watchdog team. 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. 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.. According to a report released by Ministry Safe, Wayne Aarum engaged in the following illicit activities: -stroking legs (outside clothing and on bare skin), -touching vaginal area- outside clothing (in shorts or jeans), -touching, rubbing and stroking breasts, outside clothing, -stroking from hips to breasts, clothed, on the side of the body, -pressing penis into back of girl (hugging from behind), -rubbing penis repeatedly in a girls presence, -extended hug of a partially dressed girl. These persons said they'dwitnessedAarumsactions, or heard aboutthemfrom staff or loved ones. There was a problem saving your notification. I have zero recollection of that. Pine brook was a great soul-winning camp and that summer hundreds of teens accepted Christ. She also attended First Baptist Church of Arcade, where Aarum is pastor, and volunteered at the Circle C Ranch in the winter. 10451 Ashcraft Rd Delevan, NY 14042 One of America's most exciting Christian Camps. There was a problem saving your notification. You have permission to edit this article. The News reported in April on the allegations and Chapel investigation. Circle C stands for "Christ Centered" which is the purpose and continues to be the. Keep reading with unlimited digital access. Check the lists below! Click here to read the full statement from The Chapel. Some of the allegations date back to 1990s, when Aarum ran a ministry program for high school students at the Chapel. 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. Wes said none its for the Lord. He also currently serves as pastor of theFirst Baptist Church of Arcade, New York. The church hired Norris last October to investigate. Circle C Ranch'sboard of trustees said they did their own investigation. 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. ContactSarahat STADDEO@Gannett.com or (585) 258-2774. I dont want any more children to be affected. This helps build confidence among readers inthe validity of the work. The camp cited state restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic as the reason for the change. 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. Bob asked how much interest? 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. But she never saw any improvement in Wayne Aarums behavior, she said. According to a . Email us at: info@circlecranch.org. 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. Prior to becoming director of Circle C Ranch, Aarum worked as a youth pastor atBuffalo-area megachurch The Chapel in the 1990s. He assured them they wouldnt see this behavior again, she said. 1.) 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. The work poses many challenges. Keeping his hands on their bodies way too long when it wasnt necessary at all.. Wes Aarum recently resigned from the Chapel after declining to step down from the Circle C Ranch board, according to a transcript of a meeting Camardo had with church members in January. 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. We never saw anything even approaching this.. Its all lightweight stuff theyre bringing up anyway, Dekalb said. Michael Kilian is executive editor of the Democrat and Chronicle. Aarum and the Circle C board members did not respond when asked how this . 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. So what does Sabres GM Kevyn Adams do this week? I worked in the ministry, my wife and I have worked in this ministry, all of those same years that theyre talking about. 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. 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. WHAT TO BRING: WHAT NOT TO BRING: I have been a staff reporter at The Buffalo News since 2002 and currently am part of the watchdog team. Little did he realize that 23 years later God would let him have the desire of his heart. 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. There was documentation of people going to Wayne and saying, Hey listen, like, we love you, but you need to be careful of this.' Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. Camardo did not respond Friday to a voicemail and email seeking comment. None agreed to interviews on the recordfor this story, and they didnot provide additional sources who would be willing to comment on the record.". However, we hope you will support our work with your prayers and financial gifts. 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. 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. If you are interested in helping out please fill out the application below! It takes courage to stand up to The Chapels leadership and demand that they stop spending large amounts of the members money pursuing a broad attack on Wayne Aarum that they believe is factually unsupportable, the statement said. That can be the case in the busiest of news years (ahem, 2020) or on the slowest of news days. God knew that Wes would need a man that would be a confidant, a prayer partner, on who could give wise counsel and one who had the same soul-winning burden and vision for the camp that he had. 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