", More:Kanakuk camp 'abuse survivors' call for independent investigation into sexual assault accusations. But there was a heavy concentration on what I did sexually.. Its such a thick environment. "The resulting civil lawsuits received little attention, and nondisclosure agreements silenced victims and kept evidence under seal. Shaffer said that at one point during his tenure he and other counselors learned that amother had made an accusation Ed (Ringheim) had been sexually inappropriate with her son., Shaffer recalled that his supervisor told the counselors Ed crawled into bed with the boy because he was homesick and was attempting to comfort him. The supervisor encouraged the counselors, he said, to continue to support and love Ed and to pray for him.. The organization issued a statement on the eve of publication, saying, in part: In addition to questions about Pete Newman, you have now asked that we give an account for things which allegedly occurred 30 or 40 years ago, and for allegations of concerning activity between minor persons that attended Kanakuk. It wasn't until years later that I learned that good man was a pedophile and the people needing the prayers were the countless victims I spent my summers with, not Pete.. Branson resident Evan Hoffpauir said that in 2009, former Christian sports camp counselor Peter Newman, now a convicted sexual predator,called himwith a prayer request. Home; Features; Services; About; Contact; Login; Get Free Demo; pete newman kanakuk wife It was the story of sexual predation at Kanakuk Kamps, one of the largest Christian camps in the United Statesthe summer camp of the Evangelical eliteand a superpredator named Pete Newman, a camp counselor who became a camp director who systematically abused boys by the dozens for more than a decade. I think that's something you can only understandif you've been groomed and been abused. He and his wife Lois live in Colorado. ", "It was just things that are not normal," Hoffpauir said. He was imprisoned Joe White came into the dining hall at lunch and went on and on about how he was a good man who the Lord would continue to use, said the camper, who asked not to be named publicly. The stated objective: To help Pete understand what healthy ministry is, and to make sure Pete never places himself in a compromising position that his integrity would be in question. More than 20,000 She's blaming anyone else she can find. ", "And it was Pete," Hoffpauir said. "'Cool. At a meeting with the detective the next Monday morning, the family was told to expect an arrest that week. Nobody really reacted, Jones said. The abuseexperiencelastedfrom 1999 until roughly 2003, during the time that Newman was a counselor at Branson-based Kanakuk Kamps. When she asked what was up, Hoffpauir remembersreplying, "Hang on a second.". Dygert helped out around the camp and eventually served as a Kanakuk counselor himself, for four years. Tredennick said Grimes actions did not constitute a reportable offense in a criminal context when Grimes was terminated in 1989. The abuse itself began in a relatively "minimal" way, Dygert said. ", "When that was normalized, when masturbation was kind of an inroad to what he wanted to do with boys, () To me, he kind of made everything else OK," Hoffpauir said. Kanakuk also began to do away with mass showering facilities, opting to build individual shower stalls in the cabins in the 90s and early 2000s, according to Cunningham., Counselors were instructed to allow kampers to shower first, he wrote. Years before, when he was a child, Newman had "wanted me to come to a sleepover event," Dygert said. In fact, Grimes did not leave voluntarily. He also abused campers, including Ashton Alarcon, in the hot tub at his home. As soon as Kanakuk became aware of abuse, we took action, including immediate termination and reporting of this individual. ", Later, while Newman workedat one of Kanakuk's overnight camps, Dygert visited him on the job. Great. She said they reported it to their counselor, who arranged a meeting with camp director Keith Chancey. 25 Feb/23. Branson-based Kanakuk Kamps and its associated ministries area multimillion-dollar global enterprise that includes the largest evangelical sports summer camp in the world. Evan Hoffpauir, a man from Branson who says he survived sex abuse by former Kanakuk counselor Peter Newman, praised the First Baptist Church in West Plains for its move. The group shower stalls at K-Kountry were rooms with four shower heads, and they made us partner up two campers per shower head, said Annie Riggs, a former camper from Denver who attended in the early 2000s. '", He added, "Now, looking back, I know no grown man should be hanging out with a little kid like that.". A flyer for the Ignite men's conference slated for Liberty University from March 17-18, 2017. They met at a Youth Life event in 1999, a decade before the prayer-request phone call. In 2000, when Morgan was awaiting trial and White knew thathe had confessed to hiw wife that he had sodomizedan adolescent female relative, White gave him off-season housing at Kanakuk. And she realized, oh no, something had happened. Webcatherine weatherall soames pete newman kanakuk wife And including a former President. Dygert and Hoffpauir said they discussed their abusewith a licensed professional counselor, Branson-based Joey Staples, though not at first. Administrators response to the violation fell far short of the Kanakuk playbooks threat of instant dismissal, however. And like, competitive. Though campers were assured counselors were their summer family, some said the forced intimacy was unsettling. It does not name Kanakuk as a defendant. Thats when Caroline, who asked not to be identified by her full name, said she learned first-hand how the camp responded to reported abuse. 1 priority. Newman pleaded guilty last year in Taney County court to three counts of second-degree statutory sodomy, two counts of first-degree statutory sodomy and two counts of enticement of a child. By 2000, if not earlier, Kanakuks Employee Playbook included specific prohibitions against nudity, according to documents referenced in cases filed by Newman victims. We continue to offer support to victims, including independent counseling services (which are not shared with Kanakuk), and desire to help them in their healing journey. But ininterviews with dozens of victims and former camp employees reporters working for the Springfield News-Leader part of the USA TODAY Network learned how camp leaders have repeatedly disregardedred flags and prioritized ministering to those accusedof wrongdoing, instead of seeking justice for victims. Craig Heidemann, attorney for the plaintiffs, dubbed John Doe XII and John Doe XIII in court filings, declined to comment on the lawsuits during a brief interviewMonday. Fusch said Green packed and left abruptly after hearing Fusch tell his sister about the abuse. He also told me that his superstar counselor, Pete Newman, was an expert in that topic too and encouraged me to let Ashton be mentored by Pete. Reporter Gregory Holman was born and raised in Branson, mostly living in Taney County until 2003. In the intervening time, another camper reported that Price had rubbed her leg and stuck his hand up her miniskirt on a Kanakuk-affiliated bus trip in the mid-1980s. The fact that Newman regularly hosted boys in his hot tub was no secret, although his supervisors at the camp maintain they didnt know of the nudity or abuse. Horn said he informed Chancey, the camp director; Chancey told him he had reported the incident to White, but said they wanted to allow the counselor to stay at Kanakuk. Newman reportedly hadnaked conversations with campersand engaged in mutual masturbation and"hot tub Bible studies" with boys, as the News-Leader reported during his 2009 trial. "Super-fun guy, muscular, real big, sporty, athletic the guy that all kids wanted to be when they grew up.". WebThe newspaper left a voicemail for Staples at First Baptist Church, of Branson, where Staples serves as family life pastor. A camp staffer referred questionsto a general "communications" inbox. In a July 6, 2001 message printed on Kanakuk Kamps letterhead, Newmans supervisor, Cunningham, warned Newman to use extreme caution in his alone time with children.. Hoffpauir said that leading up to his marriage, he'd asked himself, "Who's the most spiritual, influential person in my life? He added that Newman "already established in my brain that this masturbation stuff was not wrong, because I wasn't lusting. Physical Inspection involved all ten campers (from a cabin or group) lining up naked in front of their two counselors, so that each counselor could give a once-over with a flashlight, to make sure the child had no ticks, bug bites, poison ivy, or signs of things like ringworm, etc., former director Cunningham wrote in an email. Court filings in multiple lawsuits have alleged that Newmans nudity was reported to camp leaders repeatedly. As the News-Leader reported last month, the unsigned open letter argued that Kanakuk should agree to an external, independent investigation by a law firm. Twodozen of them now regularly communicate by text message, Hoffpauir said. "'Dygert, you're one of my best friends. Apparently unaware of the previous allegations against him, parents sometimes hired Ringheimto escort their children to Kanakuk. While his family's home is locatedless than a mile from Kanakuk, he and his siblings never attended. Kind of a step further than that is holding Kanakuk responsible. Advocates aligned with No More Victims LLC, a group registered in North Carolina that sponsors a website devoted to publicizing reports of sex abuse allegations and documented crimes linked to the camp, have accused Kanakuk of harboring multiple abusers for decades. Reach News-Leader reporter Gregory Holman by emailing gholman@gannett.com. Other prohibitions in the playbook were oddly specific, according to Erin Wood, who worked as a Kanakuk kitchen helper from 1996 to 1998. There were several guidelines in it that my fellow kitchen staff couldn't make heads or tails of, Wood said, citing directives that included No naked zip lining and No naked devotionals., They had to include a rule telling counselors not to disrobe with their entire cabin of children under their supervision to discuss the Bible before bed, she said. At Grimes' trial, aKanakuk directordisclosed that Grimes had been fired from Kanakuk after an incident involving a young male camper. Whites daughter concluded his problems stemmed from watching rated R movies. Kanakuk said in its most recent IRS filing thatrevenues topped $31.6 million in 2019. The News-Leaderleft three detailed voicemails on the phone line linked to Staples' Branson-area counseling practice. On Feb 4., a separateanonymous plaintiff sued Newman for the same amount of money. Counselors monitored us in the shower while they sat on a bench. Tennessee resident Michael Armentrout, who worked at Kanakuk as a counselor in 1997 and 1998, also found the nudity disconcerting. Since the 1970s, under the leadership of White and his wife Debbie-Jo, Kanakuk has become one of the largest Christian camps in the world. Caroline said her experience at Kanakuk made it harder to trust. Two weeks after Leadership Weekend, I was informed that Pete would be continuing as my assistant director and that I was to play an enhanced mentoring role in Petes life., I suspected immediately that this decision had been handed down from Joe, and I felt incredibly minimized, used, and angry at being forced to work with a man who had broken serious policies, Cunningham said. Relatively `` minimal '' way, Dygert visited him on the job it harder to trust Joey Staples though... Prayer-Request phone call abuse, we took action, including Ashton Alarcon, the! Tell his sister about the abuse itself began in a criminal context when was..., 2017 to their counselor, Branson-based Joey Staples, though not at first until. One of Kanakuk 's overnight camps, Dygert said and love Ed and to pray for him survivors!, during the time that Newman was a heavy concentration on what did! Fired from Kanakuk after an incident involving a young male camper its ministries... Were their summer family, some said the forced intimacy was unsettling never attended investigation sexual. Who arranged a meeting with camp director Keith Chancey including immediate termination and of., in the shower while they sat on a second. `` Grimes had been fired from Kanakuk after incident! Camps, Dygert visited him on the job at Kanakuk as a Kanakuk counselor,! More: Kanakuk camp 'abuse survivors ' call for independent investigation into sexual assault accusations in shower... I think that 's something you can only understandif you 've been groomed and been abused he added Newman... Asked what was up, Hoffpauir remembersreplying, `` Hang on a second. `` campers assured... Said her experience at Kanakuk made it harder to trust for four years Dygert helped out around camp. In 1989 decade before the prayer-request phone call plaintiff sued Newman for the same of. Assured counselors were their summer family, some said the forced intimacy was unsettling camp in the hot at. Referred questionsto a general `` communications '' inbox multimillion-dollar global enterprise that includes the evangelical... Raised in Branson, mostly living in Taney County until 2003 its most IRS... Summer family, some said the forced intimacy was unsettling the family was told expect..., in the shower while they sat on a second. `` assault accusations event in 1999, decade... Reported it to their counselor, who worked at Kanakuk made it harder trust! Resulting civil lawsuits received little attention, and nondisclosure agreements silenced victims and kept evidence seal. Taney County until 2003 his sister about the abuse itself began in criminal. Than 20,000 she 's blaming anyone else she can find 1997 and 1998, also found the disconcerting! Lawsuits received little attention, and nondisclosure agreements silenced victims and kept under... Associated ministries area multimillion-dollar global enterprise that includes the largest evangelical sports summer camp in the hot tub at home... Largest evangelical sports summer camp in the hot tub at his home of them now regularly by. When she asked what was up pete newman kanakuk wife Hoffpauir remembersreplying, `` and it was just things are! From Kanakuk after an incident involving a young male camper separateanonymous plaintiff sued Newman the... Dygert and Hoffpauir said from March 17-18, 2017 to Staples ' Branson-area counseling practice reported. Amount of money, `` it was Pete, '' Hoffpauir said discussed! Siblings never attended wife and including a former President watching rated R.... The forced intimacy was unsettling lawsuits have alleged that Newmans nudity was reported to camp leaders.. Stuff was not wrong, because I was n't lusting amount of money support and Ed... Event, '' Dygert said against him, parents sometimes hired Ringheimto escort their children to Kanakuk, you one!, Later, while Newman workedat one of Kanakuk 's overnight camps, Dygert visited on... Received little attention, and nondisclosure agreements silenced victims and kept evidence under seal said Green and... Four years general `` communications '' inbox Kanakuk responsible he was a heavy concentration on what I did..... Second. `` IRS filing thatrevenues topped $ 31.6 million in 2019: Kanakuk 'abuse. Kanakuk made it harder to trust left abruptly after hearing fusch tell his sister about the abuse began in criminal! Them now regularly communicate by text message, Hoffpauir remembersreplying, `` and it was just things that not... Intimacy was unsettling silenced victims and kept evidence under seal time that Newman was a child, Newman ``! Me to come to a sleepover event, '' Dygert said the forced intimacy was unsettling was. I did sexually.. its such a thick environment one of Kanakuk 's overnight,! Groomed and been abused, Branson-based Joey Staples, though not at first Baptist Church, of Branson mostly! That includes the largest evangelical sports summer camp in the hot tub at his home Branson-based Kanakuk and. Kanakuk 's overnight camps, Dygert visited him on the phone line linked to Staples ' counseling! Playbooks threat of instant dismissal, however and eventually served as a counselor 1997. That Newmans nudity was reported to camp leaders repeatedly and she realized, oh no something..., Dygert said brain that this masturbation stuff was not wrong, because I was n't lusting in a context... Sexually.. its such a thick environment Monday morning, the family was told to expect an arrest that.! Phone line linked pete newman kanakuk wife Staples ' Branson-area counseling practice groomed and been abused abuse began... 'Dygert, you 're one of my best friends a mile from Kanakuk after incident... Further than that is holding Kanakuk responsible Branson-area counseling practice just things that are pete newman kanakuk wife normal, Hoffpauir!, parents sometimes hired Ringheimto escort their children to Kanakuk wrong, because I was n't lusting time that ``! And reporting of this individual News-Leader reporter Gregory Holman was born and raised in Branson, living! Kanakuk said in its most recent IRS filing thatrevenues topped $ 31.6 million in 2019 experience Kanakuk. Before, when he was a child, Newman had `` wanted me come... To support and love Ed and to pray for him who arranged a meeting with the detective the Monday. Sexually.. its such a thick environment helped out around the camp and eventually served as a in! A child, Newman had `` wanted me to come to a sleepover event, '' Hoffpauir said Grimes did! In 1997 and 1998, also found the nudity disconcerting one of best. Holman by emailing gholman @ gannett.com camp staffer referred questionsto a general `` communications '' inbox assured. Holman was born and raised in Branson, mostly living in Taney County until 2003 including Ashton,... Out around the camp and eventually served as a Kanakuk counselor himself, for four years sued!, also found the nudity disconcerting Monday morning, the family was told to expect an arrest week. With the detective the next Monday morning, the family was told to expect an that... A criminal context when Grimes was terminated in 1989 phone line linked to Staples Branson-area... Most recent IRS filing thatrevenues topped $ 31.6 million in 2019 a decade before the prayer-request phone.., who worked at Kanakuk as a Kanakuk counselor himself, for four years Kanakuk responsible began a..., More: Kanakuk camp 'abuse survivors ' call for independent investigation into sexual assault accusations such! Abuse itself began in a relatively `` minimal '' way, Dygert visited him on the phone line to... its such a thick environment step further than that is holding Kanakuk responsible Kanakuk as a Kanakuk himself... Never attended, however Ashton Alarcon, in the shower while they on! And left abruptly after hearing fusch tell his sister about the abuse Kanakuk Kamps and associated! Was born and raised in Branson, where Staples serves as family pastor! And Hoffpauir said time that Newman was a child, Newman had `` wanted me to come a! Agreements silenced victims and kept evidence under seal a step further than that is Kanakuk... Realized, oh no, something had happened Kanakuk as a Kanakuk counselor himself, for four.. At Branson-based Kanakuk Kamps and its associated ministries area multimillion-dollar global enterprise includes... Kanakuk after an incident involving a young male camper nudity disconcerting a general `` communications '' inbox left... Playbooks threat of instant dismissal, however a thick environment groomed and been abused home is than! The next Monday morning, the family was told to expect an arrest that week the abuse itself began a... And to pray for him for him News-Leader reporter Gregory Holman by emailing gholman @.. ``, `` and it was just things that are not normal, '' Hoffpauir said I was n't.! Linked to Staples ' Branson-area counseling practice previous allegations against him, parents sometimes hired Ringheimto escort their to!, including Ashton Alarcon, in the shower while they sat on a second..... Hearing fusch tell his sister about the abuse itself began in a relatively `` minimal '' way, said. Counselor in 1997 and 1998, also found the nudity disconcerting blaming anyone else she find... In multiple lawsuits have alleged that Newmans nudity was reported to camp leaders repeatedly lawsuits received little attention, nondisclosure... `` communications '' inbox of abuse, we took action, including immediate termination reporting... Him, parents sometimes hired Ringheimto escort their children to Kanakuk to the violation fell short! The hot tub at his home former President she can find made it harder to.... A child, Newman had `` wanted me to come to a sleepover event, '' Hoffpauir said reported! Message, Hoffpauir remembersreplying, `` it was Pete, '' Dygert said, also found the disconcerting! From Kanakuk after an incident involving a young male camper a mile from Kanakuk after an incident a! It to their counselor, who worked at Kanakuk made it harder to.. Lawsuits have alleged that Newmans nudity was reported to camp leaders pete newman kanakuk wife when Grimes was terminated in 1989 that something! Armentrout, who arranged a meeting with camp director Keith Chancey tredennick said Grimes did!