Spring Creek Lodge
Spring Creek Lodge Academy, located in Thompson Falls, Montana, was first opened as a WWASP school in 1996 by Cameron Pullan and Dan Peart, along with Chaffin Pullan, Cameron’s brother. At its peak it housed over 500 students. 2004 SCL was investigated concerning the death of a 17 year old girl by The Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) resulting in a complaint filed for child abuse and neglect against the school and specifically it’s directors, Cameron and Chaffin Pullan. The girl’s mother also sued them for wrongful death and neglect. In 2006 Spring Creek Lodge was entangled in yet another lawsuit, this time on behalf of 353 plaintiffs, all citing multiple abuses and fraud at the WWASP program and various affiliates. It was shortly after this in 2006 that Spring Creek Lodge released a statement attempting to distance themselves from the reputation of WWASP. As did WWASP itself, when it changed it’s name to Teen Revitalization and it’s Resource Realizations (seminars) to Premiere Education Seminars. SCL was closed in 2009 after a dramatic drop in enrollment and a failed attempt to convert part of the facility into an 18+ program called Camas Ranch. Currently several spin off group homes still exist in Thompson Falls run by former employees of Spring Creek, including what was originally opened as Star Peak Crossing, by two former Spring Creek Lodge staff Mike Chism and Mickey Manning. in 2010, a program of the same name as the Pullan’s program in utah, RiverView Academy, was opened in Thompson by Mickey Manning and his wife Lorne.
Staff
Cameron Pullan
Cameron Pullan first worked for WWASP at Cross Creek in 1991 and 1992. In 1996, he moved to Montana to open Spring Creek Lodge along with his twin brother Chaffin Pullan and Robert Lichfield’s brother-in-law, Dan Peart. Many allegations of abuse, as well as Social Services complaints and lawsuits have been leveled at Cameron Pullan and his brother Chaffin Pullan. The Pullan’s served as owners and administrators of the SCL facility until 2009, when the school was closed. The Pullan’s were also involved in Camas Ranch, an apparent attempt to remake a portion of the facility into an 18+ program, which failed. Currently, Cameron runs the Riverview program which is a summer camp with it’s dorms located on the old Cross Creek Manor property.
Chaffin Pullan
Chaffin Pullan first worked for WWASP at Cross Creek in 1991 and 1992. In 1996, he moved to Montana to open Spring Creek Lodge along with his twin brother Cameron Pullan and Robert Lichfield’s brother-in-law, Dan Peart. Many allegations of abuse, as well as Social Services complaints and lawsuits have been leveled at Chaffin Pullan and his brother Cameron Pullan. The Pullan’s served as owners and administrators of the SCL facility until 2009, when the school was closed. The Pullan’s were also involved in Camas Ranch, an apparent attempt to remake a portion of the facility into an 18+ program, which failed. Currently, Chaffin serves as administrator of Horizon Academy in La Verkin Utah
Dan Peart
Dan Peart is Robert Browning Litchfield’s brother-in-law. He seems have first gotten involved in WWASP in 1996, when he opened Spring Creek Lodge with the Pullan brothers, serving as Vice President. He then went on to be the Director for Majestic Ranch, now operating as Old West Academy, where children as young as 7, and perhaps younger, were detained, abused, and used as forced labor.
Survivor Testimony
Lawsuits Mount Against Spring Creek Lodge
Ashley’s story, 2004
Sean’s story, 2003
Anonymous, 2001
Eric’s story, 1997
Anon, Undated
Josh’s story, Undated
Gallery
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i wish they would of just killed me.
Memoir: Thompson Falls Montana
Maybe you’ve heard of those schools where they pick you up in the middle of the night and you disappear. They picked me up in the middle of the day. I called my sister and told her that some people are here and I don’t know where I’m going. I packed a few books for the road and got into a car with two ex-cops. It was a two day drive to I didn’t know where. They told me not to run. My last meal was an egg mcmuffin. That morning we drove deeper and deeper and higher and higher into the forest on a mountainside. There were signs everywhere that said “private property” and “no trespassing”. I wished I would have run sooner. I soon learned that I could not call my parents. I could not talk to boys. I was on lockdown; I had no rights and could not leave. The behavioral boarding school was called “Spring Creek Lodge Academy”. There were eight giant, two-story, log cabins on campus with a communal cafeteria in the middle. Each cabin was divided into four dormitories. Mine was ground level on the girl’s side appropriately entitled: “Serenity”. I was assigned a “family” and a back-stabbing bunk buddy. There were twenty bunk beds in our dorm all along the walls. It was attached to another dorm by a door, but we weren’t allowed to talk to the girls living there. There was also a large bathroom connected to our living space with several sinks and small showers.
I then began my life in “the program”. It was a cross between a military school and a cult. I also like to think of it as an Orwellian concentration or internment camp for minors, but I suppose the term “private prison” might be less offensive. I was introduced to levels and a complicated point system. Something like an automatic twelve points a day, minus twenty-five points per “consequence”, and one-hundred-and-fifty points to get to level two. At the end of the day I was always in the negative and never got past level one. This was accomplished mainly by talking. Whenever we went outside we had to march around heel-toe and “in sync” in lines. If you talked in line it was a T.O.S. (talking-on-silence) infraction. I also got in trouble for talking to other level-ones as level-ones can only talk to their buddies or level-threes and higher.
I grew somewhat accustomed to the monotony, floating through the same day over and over and over again. The bell in the morning, the five minute shower, the ugly uniforms- khaki and maroon. They wouldn’t let me keep any of my belongings. I was strip-searched upon arrival. This included the confiscation of my black and purple polka dot underwear. Only white cotton undergarments from now on. They took my Dostoyevsky and even my Calvin and Hobbes. Our rare trips to the little library (which I was usually barred from attending) were depressing. The selection consisted mainly of Goosebumps and other preteen literature. With no access to telephones or computers, my only connection to the outside world was through letters to my parents.
It eventually became clear that they had become almost as brainwashed as some of my peers. My pleas to come home or to be allowed to move in with my best friend in Los Angeles were met with program lingo i.e. “work the program” or you will be there until you turn eighteen. I was fourteen. I tried to comply once against my better judgment. I decided that the level two privileges of butter, sugar, and a weekly candy bar were not worth it. I saw level sevens crushed because they lost all their points for a trivial reason. I saw the special treatment given to girls that had been there too long in order to speed up their graduation.
The futility of compliance with a nonsensical, arbitrary set of rules where years of confinement are worth more than good behavior led to daydreams or what they refer to as “run plans”. Staring into space is categorized as either looking-at-boys or planning to escape. Although I was often penalized for the former by the upper level girls, I was usually doing nothing except not looking straight ahead of me. We would often have to stop in the middle of marching from place to place to accommodate other lines or stop at the restrooms. Instead of standing in formation, I’d sit down and start a conversation considering I stopped caring in the least about points. I made friends with girls who felt the same way.
We shared rumors and strategies to get out. One day we heard that two boys managed to leave. They were upper level and took advantage of their good standing to make a run for it. Supposedly they ran, stole a car, and stole a boat before being caught by the police and put in juvenile hall. Whether or not there was any truth in this, it inspired me. During our P.E. we would jog around in circles in our fenced area and discuss whether or not we thought that there were guards, dogs, or just upper level boys waiting for us if we tried to run. My friend Jennifer and I decided we would find out. There was an emergency button we could push to get out of our cabin. The only problem was that our shoes were locked up at night, so we only had flip-flops. We pushed the button and ran for a bit, but the boys were faster. They caught up in our pathetic attempt and put us in “intervention”, basically a little cabin with lavender walls where they put you on time out. We were isolated from any houses or people way up there, and didn’t have any food to bring with us anyway.
There were small victories however, occasionally vicarious ones. We could only eat three meals a day, plus one snack, so when we snuck extra pop tarts for friends that was a triumph. There was also this one time when a girl from one line saw her boyfriend from home walking in another line and they ran to each other and kissed. The same girl headed a mini-rebellion consisting of some girls from her cabin breaking out and running around the campus naked. In the end I had my own successful demonstration of defiance. I couldn’t convince my group of friends to do the same- at that point they couldn’t talk to me. One by one they were participating in the program due to fear of their parent’s threats of leaving them there. I was also afraid of having to celebrate my sixteenth birthday there, of finishing high school in another state, of having nothing when I finally got out.
In any case, I staged an individual silent protest. I stopped talking and listening until they didn’t know what to do with me. At first they put me in intervention for long periods of time in solitary confinement. They threatened to send me to a facility in Mexico or Jamaica where there are even less regulations. They tried to restrain me, prevent me from sleeping, and other methods of unpleasantness. Finally they kicked me out. It was completely unexpected, I didn’t get to say goodbye, and I was permitted to return home like I wanted. When I got home I looked up the school online. Their website recommended that parents watch the movie Thirteen to understand what horrible things their teenagers are doing. In 2009 Spring Creek was closed. Other schools like it have also been shut down for similar reasons including suicide/attempted suicide of the students and lawsuits thanks to allegations of child abuse and neglect/ human rights violations.
You did a good job describing what went on.
Hey. Im john. I was there in 2001, i remember being there. Wow it was crazy. When i went i was 17 so i only had a year to do. I was in the excel family. We had the worst reputation which i somewhat enjoyed. I remember one time near the end of my program i got dropped from level 3 “allstar” to level 1. At that point i stop caring cause i was about to go home anyway. So on a trip up to the hobbit one time i ran into a girls hobbit and kissed this cute little blond girl. I was like a family hero after that. Lol
i left christmas day 2000. i was also in excel. i hope i contributed to the worst family reputation…haha. i once ran away while on a transport in missoula…a douche named cliff was our family father at the time…so many memories…what a shit hole
I was in Excel as well. Arrived in SCL in 1998 and took my exit plan at 18 in 2000. The Excel family was actually a ‘rebranding’ of Aspire (I think that was the name). We had such a bad reputation that Cameron forced us to rename the family in an attempt to get a ‘fresh’ start. We actually got the name from the shower curtains which were made by a company called Excel. The ‘rebranding’ was a total failure haha
Wow. I remember some of you from Spring Creek. All the memories flooding back. Past is done. Let it lye.
Ashlee Fisher
Aka “Tex”
2000-2001
Unity
U should watch Netflix the program cons,cults, kidnapping
Lol. I remembered that kiss. I was in destiny and was 15. Omg that place was a cult!
God this place sucked I was in unity family. K think my favorite phrase was staff it. What was the name of that little room where you went during the day to avoid school? I just remember being well beheaved so I could watch the movie. Also 3 mi. Showers sucked as well.
Roderick Brown. Was one of the only black kids there. Toooo many memories to start. Coach of the soccer team lol got to go to games in town etc. Stayed in the 18+ house where we had ping pong table, steak cookouts ECT. Lol being on the PR committee got to go to baseball games and fairs. Lol I remember doing the kettle corn lol smh. Went to Golden Coral, gun shop lol. That was all the “best” craziest I can say right now or I’ll be typing for atleast a week. IG @345_2012
hey, this message is for Amanda, not sure if you were expecting a reply, and late for that matter. but if you see this you can contact me if you want. juch0784@cc.peralta.edu
GOOD JOB NETFLIX FOR EXPOSEING THESES DUMPY HELL HOLE PLACES
I am watching the series right now and I am so sad that you young folks had to experience that. I am so grateful my parents didnt send my bad ass there….I was bad.
This place was fucking hell. Anyone seen the movie on Netflix?
ps. has any of those in excel 01-02 heard from goddfree? what about Henry or ben? otto? even that lil Damon, half the reason i took my exit right on my bday. not a moment to soon
Juan- Damon is my friend. He told me about his experiences at this place. He was a little guy- has to be who you are talking about. I’d like to chat if you are up for it.
I am absolutely heartbroken to find out that this place ever existed. I was born on Blue Slide Road in Thompson Falls. The same road where this prison was. Yet I never knew what was going on there until now. It makes me wonder if my parents ever knew what was going on or if they knew people who were involved in this. Thompson is such a small town, I wouldn’t be surprised if my parents knew someone who worked there or maybe a parent who sent their kid. It’s really possible because my parents ran a coffee shop in town during the time this place was in business and the possibility of my parents knowing someone who did this scares me. I’m so sorry to all of the victims of this place. I hope you never have to come through Thompson Falls again. The town that I ignorantly loved.
I am the spouse of Matthew Augustine who attended this school. I just started realizing that so many people say they are survivors but he says they saved his life. But I have been trying to figure out for ten years now why he victimblames me. He has seriously been brainwashed by this place. There are things he makes me feel
Bad for doing even if it’s just an opinion of mine. There are things that causes problems that not would not be problems
For any normal persons. Looking for help if anything at all. I have been trying to figure out why he acts the way that he does and this may be there answer. I have been crying all morning thinking I have found a puzzle piece to help. No one understands the guilt I have gone through when I have never needed to feel this way.
Brandylaine85@gmail.com for any help
Or advice on help
Anyone knows Jet or Scott Snijder? I was there when we went into the the City of Spokane to search for a “runner” which was a life time experience. I remember everything. I remember Wolf going home and dying from a overdose at a party shortly after getting home. @sirroderickciff345 Blessings to you all.
I just found out about this place. I work for the railroad and happened to be in Heron Montana working this last week.
Quick synopsis: Last Monday we got to work and on our work radio we were told to be on the lookout for a missing girl. Wow . . . Sounds terrible I thought about her and how terrible her parents might feel right now. She was apparently walking the tracks and we had trains running at high speed through there. I hoped she would not get hit. Then I thought about the wild animals and the below 30 temps at night. Anyway, I was on the lookout for any sign.
Now its Tuesday night. The girls memory had faded but was still there. I get off work. I was driving my work truck back West to Clarkfork, ID from Heron, MT along the frontage road. Just as I am leaving Heron, I see an older lady fast walking to catch up to a 14/15 year old girl, of Mexican decent. A white car speeds around me pulls to the side of the road and another women jumps out. Literally in front of my huge work truck. Wow . . . What the hell is going on here??? She apologizes and stands in front blocking the young girls path. At first I think its a family dispute but thought it was odd (two white women chasing a young hispanic girl) As I passed by them with my truck I pay attention to every detail I can. They are arguing then the girl brakes free, runs and jumps onto the back of my truck as I slowly speed up. I tried to get a little distance before slowing down and stopping. I get out calmly and walk to the back of the truck. Here she is. Scared clutching the back railing. Pants are dirty. She had fallen a few times in the spring mud. The two ladies catch up and the girl refuses to get off my truck. The ladies were odd. Internet Karen types. I spoke to the girl. Brandy, from California. “I hate it here, its like a Jail” “Im scared, I want my mother” The counselor lady quickly looks at me and loudly exclaims “its not a jail, its a boarding school.” “Clearview Girls Academy, Heron Montana.” Wow ok, I felt that was a little strong and forcefully unneeded information.
I listened to the ladies and the girl for about 1/2 hour. The young girl was talking about food, the walking in lines the random work they had to do and if she went back she would not be doing any of it. What was all this standing and marching in line? I thought this was a school?
I guess, I was envisioning a classroom, field trips, swimming, fishing, nature observation, hikes, maps / orienteering. . . Snow capped peaks, All the new animals that she might see out in Montana and the stories she could tell her friends back in California.
What lines, why is food an issue, what work parties????
Needless to say it struck me as odd. I told her to stay strong, do her best and to look around her and find strength in nature and what she sees around her. The last thing I said because I was confused at what I was seeing and hearing was. “ dont let this be the impression you have of Montana! Its a great place with great people that are here to help” As I said that I looked right in the eyes of the older lady. She looked at me and she looked away. The whole experience shook me. It wasn’t right. They assured the girl she could call her mom that night and thats what got her off of my truck. I hoped that was true. They talked about getting a translator. Why? Do they need to here the words she says to her own mother? Would she be pushed and prodded to say what they want. This is odd.
Thursday afternoon: Im below the bridge that crosses the Clark Fork river watching our railroad crews. The bridge is just west of Noxon and takes the tracks to the north side of the river. Just then, I look up and see a young girl, hispanic, walking the tracks passed our crews and out onto the long tall bridge. Holy shit, its Brandy! Were like 10 miles from Heron and it looked like she had slippers or bare feet. I make the call on the radio to let her cross and not approach her. Someone calls back to me that there is another missing girl on the tracks and to call this phone number.
This is what goes through my mind. Shes from California but heading East. Shes got minimal footwear. She is on the tracks and we are about to release 4-5 trains at full speed , she could have been in the middle of that bridge and never had a way off if a train came over. She is heading toward Highway 200. Highway 200 is a backdoor to Seattle and a drug corridor and lots of creeps run that strip because its off the beaten path of I90, less patrolled. We have missing indigenous girls all the time around the Reservation , its like a hunting ground for the sex trade. Its cold and going to be colder tonight.
I told people to keep and eye on her. I swung my truck around and headed east toward Noxon to get in front of her. I didn’t want her to catch a ride with a stranger. I got to Noxon and crossed the big silver bridge that leads from Noxon to Highway 200 on the other side of the clark fork. I scanned every car that passed. I hoped she did not get in a strange car. I drove west back up toward where she might have been and pulled in at Atkins Gas Station. Its on the left as you are heading West. I told the attendant to be on the lookout for her and to help her is she gets there. One of the customers overheard us and said there is a girl about 1 mile up near the storage sheds on the right and there are two guys talking to her.
Shit!!!!! I pulled out and raced up there. Who the hell were these guys? There she is. Flip Flops and made it over 10 miles. There are two guys there, large stature and have radios in there hands. Looked official. I pulled in wanting to talk to Brandy and they were very rude not friendly at all. Looked like ex cops or FBI, something. They were very short with me and said they had it handled. I looked at them and looked at Brandy. She was defeated and tired. It was over. It was getting on toward evening, the end of the day, Cold temps, animals, trains, human predators, and I felt the dangers ahead out weighed the other dangers she might face in custody.
I however, did not feel good. What the hell is going on up there? She at-least had a mother. Her mother would be scared shitless if she knew what possible dangers were out here.
I called the Boarding school. I first got some place in Utah. Wow thats weird, whats that connection? I was at the Montana website. Anyway, They gave me a number to the Heron facility. I had questions: non of them got answered. Who is this girl? Why does she want to leave so bad? How did she get away from you so many times? Its dangerous out here, are her parents in the loop and on their way?? What is this facility? Who are these two ex cop guys??
The only question I got an answer too was what happens to Brandy now? “We will have to transfer her to another level facility.”
Wow, she thought this sucked just wait till she gets to the new hell.
All my questions were answered after a few nights of internet research. The Chaffin Twins, Mickey, the connection to Utah, Jamaica all the Missoulian news paper articles. The Missoulian ran week after week of stories about these boarding schools in Thompson Falls and around Montana but as an outsider, you read things but do not comprehend the actual reality of the situation. Montana has to pass a law that says, hey, you cant have sex with patients!! What!!! Especially if they are under age!!! What! No shit! This wasn’t a law?
Now I find this survivor website!!!!! What the hell is going on. I work around Thompson Falls and Heron for years and have never herd anything about these places. Unbelievable! If they have religious affiliation they are untouchable. That was more new news.
I will be looking into this further and hope the best for Brandy. I want to know where she is and that she is ok.
Thank you so much for posting this, and being such a good advocate for her safety. Do you have any idea where they could have taken her? Also, if you don’t mind posting this again, reddit.com/r/troubledteens has a really big active following and your message just might reach the right people to get her story out there. You need to speak to a journalist in Heron or the Missoulian. The more eyes on this the more this facility will have a spotlight on them. We will as well make a report to the Montana Department of Health and Human Services that are responsible for oversight of these facilities.
Thank you!
This has been going on longer then you think.I was taken to the Spring Creek when I was 16yrs old back then they called it a school for troubled teens ,that was back in the 80’s same place older buildings some that you lived in we were made to build,it was school and work detail ( manual labor) forced on you , punished with all food taken shunned by other kids at the(community) verbal scare tactics.All payed for by our so called parents,it’s been going on for decades,and still is.The land and the building’s were spring creek is needs to torn down and let go back to natural forests nothing good ever happened there or ever will.I feel for all of you that were taken there I really do. survived BOB
Thank you so much. What I went through in Jamaica is so similar.
Wow I know exactly who you are. I’m Jennifer in that story.
Yeah. I’m Candice. I’m friends with you on fb lol. I wasn’t there very long.
When were you there? I too was in Serenity.
I was in Serenity too! From May of 2003 to June of 2004
I’m Amber Wayman. I am a survivor too. HOWEVER I tramsferred to Tranquility Bay in Jamaica but returned to Thompson Falls in May of 04. That was way worse then Mr. Cliff whom lived of of mountain Dew soda and Mr Mike they where all right in my book. If yall been to Jamaica YOU would honestly be greatful for. Montana
Those staff members look like pigs in man suits.they clearly belong in hell. Or came from hell. They look like the reason god gave us flame thrower s lol let’s toss some salad.
Spring creek lodge 2002-2003. I was 14-15. Worse time of my life. Nobody understood. Crazy to come back to this after all these years. Felt like a dream.
Chelsey what time were you at Spring Creek I was in Serenity also.
When were you in there? I was in there from 2002-2004, also in Serenity. So glad this hell-hole was shut down.
When were youuuuu there? I was there jan2005 to 0ct2006 I was was Serenity.
I was there from 1998 to 2000. What about you? My name is travis hull.
Travis, what family were you in. I was there in 1999. I forgot what our family name was.
My name is Evan Rogers I was in Excell family one of the only black kids there when I think back on that time 2000-2002 I’m baffled how normalized racism and abuse was. I remember working the program, Cliff was my case manager at first I remember that it was clear how much I didn’t matter. I remember Young Berg, Dane Coffee, Rusty Black, Chris Guetierz, Kevin Shay
I was there from 04 to the end of 05 had to join the army at 17 to get out of that place . Respect family .it sucked but I found ways to make it fun. Talked a night staff that was in college and obviously had no friends, to bring me chew and cigarettes by the carton. Hid them in the dryer tube ,every Sunday when we had to clean I would grab a pack , smoked them out the bathroom window at night. We were lucky to have cool ,and chill family father’s that would let us do whatever, as long as we were not to loud and no one found out
Hey Travis this is Mathew Patterson from respect I was there in 1999 to 2000 and went home at Christmas
summer 04
candice is my real name, not rebecca. i just wanted it to be private at the time.
Holy shit I can’t believe I found this page. I was there from fall of 01-March of 02. It’s been years since I’ve even thought about this. I can’t remember what family I was in. Anyone know a James Lothian or a Ryan Brown. Anyone who remembers me please reach out. So glad to see your all still alive. That place fucked me up so much worse than I came in. I was 18 in may of 02 so I was just going to take my exit. My parents came and picked me up in March because they knew I would actually just bail. Anyway love to get in contact with anyone who knows the two I mentioned or myself
I was in excell family. My name is corwin Preston. I was there when Ben and otto and roland turned 18 and left. I hope everyone is doing alright out there. I got threw in the habit in winter and was left to die.
Corbin did you know Damon? Little
Guy from Rochester NY?
what a load of crap… that is NOT what went on..That was a program meant for kids that needed tough guidance.. It was a fast and easy program for those that wanted to work it.. Most of you out there that say it was a prison or cult only say that because your little kids throwing a temper tantrum because you didn’t get your way, you didn’t get to party late and have sex or take drugs, because you had NO respect for your parents or yourselves..oh and you were aloud to talk to your parents there just not straight away.. It was a place that MADE you earn your privileges. Privileges you lost at home because of that lack of respect. Sadly there were some parents that used that program because they wanted to ignore their kids or just use the place as an expensive babysitting.. In those sad cases it was just poor parenting. Soon (I hope) most you will (or have) grown up and witnessed your self that things aren’t just handed to you and no one is just going to give you what you want when you want it.. Life is Hell out there but you have to make it a livable one maybe even a happy one. But not without respect and an open heart to others.
I’m sad to see you have adopted the all-too-familiar attitude that “I’m okay with how i was treated, so everyone else ought to be okay with it too” or “I wasn’t abused (or don’t realize i was abused), so no one else was either.” Unfortunately, this type of intolerant, attacking attitude so reminiscent of Stockholm Syndrome is something survivors suffer from, often for years, before they suddenly and sometimes traumatically realize the full scope of what happened to them. If (and hopefully when) you DO come to terms with what happened to you, we will be here for you, as we have been for so many others. Good luck to you.
I am not so sure this is actually a survivor… sounds more like a former staff member to me. This kind of attitude, “the kids were bad, they deserved it” is a classic staff response to survivors speaking out about the program. Also, notice how she directs all her insults to “you” as in, she never was one of us… Sounds to me this is nothing more than another industry troll trying to justify the abuse they profited from.
I never believed the kids were “bad”. I adored many of those kids. Loved many of them. Gave what I could. Hugged, laughed and cried. It was never a picnic for you guys. I recall one of my kiddos was out there for staying up to late. Great kid, with Crohns. Anyway, I wish you all an opening to peace.
I was there in 2006 i believe I was in courage family the place was hell I never passed level 1 I remember the room at the top of the hill the most the punishment room intervention or whatever it was called I spent most my time there it smelled like piss and or puke it was exactly like a prison sell except In prison we got a mattress and a tv there we got a stinky carpet covered wooden or metal bunk I spent several years in prison and that place made prison seem like a resort it’s probably half the reason I went to prison it institutionalized me at 15 it made me numb to being incarcerated incarceration felt normal and easy compared to that shit hole if there are any lawsuits I can join please contact me tirnerlegacyconstruction@gmail.com
what about the people that genuinely suffer from ptsd from this school?
Aw man this is definitely a a staff member. Sounds like a case worker or family parent. When referring to the “kids” she never used “we”. Considering WE all went through it. Moron.
I just found this website and thankful for it. I put my name as 5mo for now because that was my nickname. I was in excel family in 2000. I was 13 years old and was told was the youngest “student” there at the time. More like detainee I remember Godfrey and Henry, and a guy named Cason took me under his wing and actually gave me my nickname. I feel like the description of half military school half cult is accurate. When I first arrived it felt like military walking around heel toe not being able to talk or even look at certain people. It didn’t start feeling like a cult till I went to my first seminar where you couldn’t pass unless you forced yourself to cry. I pretty much lived in level 2 up to this point just so I could have condiments on my food. Before that I lost mass amounts of weight because the food was almost inedible. I got my nickname because after failing out of my first seminar on the first day I gave up on the ridiculous program. I was only 13 stil in middle school. Hence the name 5mo because I had 5 more years till I was 18 and no one saw me graduating. Finally after building up enough negative points I pretty much spent my days in worksheets or the hobbit where in the former u were forced to sit on a wooden box all day in a stall and the latter was basically a makeshift Guantanamo cell with a bloody carpeted piece of plywood to sleep on and two meals of a kidney bean burrito each day. This place was hell and would not wish it on anyone. It took me going on hunger strike and losing an unhealthy amount of weight before they called my parents to come get me who ended up being delighted to take me away from there after they saw first hand what this place was like. I still have scars on my back where an upper class student had whipped me with a stick when I refused his commands.
Wow, you are a shill. So Diana, when were you there? And what capacity? If you were a student/detainee, I would say the Pullans and. co. did a masterful job in turning you into the insensitive , company line towing cretin that you present yourself to be. Did you find your magical child? Maybe the rest of us are just lazy misanthropes too thick in the head to possibly come to realize the wealth of life skills you the enlightened eternal level sixes have attained . The rest off us (a pretty wide cross section of folks at that) seem to see what went on in Montana as a simple get rich quick scheme by a bunch of Mormon carpetbaggers. They bilked millions of dollars from our parents, put us ‘spoliled little brats’ through a lot of unnecessary trauma, and when we came home out of our minds from sensory deprivation and seminars they blamed the parents they had just finished bilking for ‘not following program protocol. You ma’am need to do two things: first you need to look up the difference between ‘your’ and ‘you’re’ …and ‘allowed’ vs. ‘aloud’ while you’re at it (yes I just called you an idiot). And second, you really should look up the people you are defending, and weigh positive praises of the wwasps facilities against the evidence against them: I.e deaths, multiple civil and criminal complaints, gov’t mandated closures etc. Please drop a line after you do! ;-p
Yeh like Waddup? Any one that attended these facilities please don’t disregard what anyone has to say about it. I’ve been to two . In between the two I spent about a month a house on a lake with a loaded kitchen snakcks everywhere freedom. I got there and saw kids that I thought went home months before or that was said that were being transferred when in fact was kept at this house. After leaving there it was back to reality of what the “program” had to offer. Pls This to every and everyone. Don’t be trying to shine light on these facilities. I’ve seen kids get beat mistreated etc. just Stop. One lobe and blessings to everyone.
Were you a student there Diana? Did you ever get jumped in the woods, told to keep quiet to the press, beaten, abused or humiliated? If not you have no right or idea what you are talking about. If you are a staff member you were party to the systematic mental and physical abuse of the program, designed to promote failure in all but those who actually needed real help. Yes most needed help or guidance, but this kind of sickening treatment of youth is disgusting. What actual education came from that place? Did it do anything but give parents an excuse to dump their children on someone else? I was being starved, robbed and abused at home from a mother suffering from narcissism and munchauser’s syndrome. Did I not have enough respect?
Yes! This place was disgusting… seriously whoever thought that torturing kids helped them is a horrible person….
I agree I have no bad memories. I truly feel that the abuse and neglect allegations were kids writing their mommies trying to get them to bring theme home. I learned so much while I was there but it wasn’t until my 30’s that I applied any of it to my life. I remember gravel pit and how fresh and revived I felt afterwords. The seminars helped release all of that pent up anger. I am not scarred at all. I think these people were a blessing in my life. I remember when Cameron let me babysit his kids and how much trust he had in me. I remember Natalie Carson making each girl feel as pretty as her. I remember working in the kitchen as often as possible because we could cut up and have a good time. That candy bar on store day gave me something to work hard for. I still listen to Tony Robbins and I know the answers on jeopardy when it’s related to old literature like the Canterbury Tales. Come on people embrace the good!
Yes you were brain washed I feel so sorry for you
Diana, I didn’t get to call my parents for 13 months. I was on level 2 the whole 13 months until chain saw me walking in administration and was like you’ve been here a long time what level are you on? I said 2 because I can’t get through focus seminar he said you’re a level 3 all star now. You’re telling me a 15 year old shouldn’t call his parents for 13 months because he was a trouble maker a year ago.
Agreed.
Yeah you must be a staff member hahahahaha. Sad really.
Who the hell do you think you are????? I was there in 2005 at that horrific shit hole add in serious trauma to my life. After spending 4 months in spring creek HELL, luckily I turned 18 & demanded to leave. I was dropped of at a homeless shelter on my 18th b-day. This is my first time seeing this website, Maybe I’ll share my story where it all started. This is enough for me for now…
Holy shit I was there when there was the lower campus of a bunch of cabins in a horseshoe. The boys would prank us all the time. After running away and then coming back several weeks later, I served my time in the gravel pit then my folks showed up and pulled me. I had like 30 mins for goodbye. This was in the late 80’s when it eas just spring creek community. Laurel Peterson was my name. I was a hippy who played the guitar. Even played in church every Sunday. Ring a bell to anyone?
Hi. I did not attend this school and I’m very thankful for that. But how dare you discredit these people.
A girl committed suicide in that place, children were abused and it was all documented and the school was even shut down because of how many lawsuits they had on their hands and because parents started to see what was going on there and stopped sending their kids there.
Maybe the program was fine for you or maybe you were just brainwashed into thinking that the things they did were appropriate and all to just teach you to respect.
Teens are supposed to party late, have sex, try thing whether they’re good or bad. It’s all part of the experience and sadly, a lot of teens didn’t have the chance to experience any of it.
My father has worked in two different “homes” since the closing of this school. One he liked a lot, the other was opened and managed by a former employee of SCL.
The things he told me about that place still give me nightmares. Kids were beat as punishment, chased down when they ran and forced to sleep outside on the ground no matter the weather, homeschooled for the sole reason that the “teachers” didn’t think they deserved to even talk to other kids seeing as even during the classes at the “home” if any of the boys were caught talking the had to get on the ground and do push-ups until the class was over and if they fell or stopped they were given “chores” which usually consisted of cleaning the vehicles of the “teachers”, taking care of the “home-owners” animals or even making a dinner that they then had to sit out on.
Kids as young as 12 were at this school and they got no exceptions. My dad would come home in tears because of the things he was forced to do just to keep a roof over my head until he couldn’t take it anymore and had to quit and this school was just ran by ONE of the old employees of SCL. Think about what an entire staff body of 200 employees like this could do to kids.
Whether you had a good experience or not, never discredit the pain of others because you have no idea what those kids had to experience behind closed doors.
Rebecca, i was part of that naked girls running. lol of course i’m much much older and was dumb, we tried making the best situation out of a horrible one. That place SUCKED and i would never put my children in something like this.
that is hilarious! it was so cool that so many people participated, even though i’m sure you all got in trouble :]]. i tried to “run away” once, but it was just with one other girl. but i remember being really happy when you guys did that, like at least someone else thought that place was stupid and did something. even just a fun little demonstration was a big deal.
My brother and I were there in 1998 to 1999. Part of unity and legend families. Before the 2 story additions. I knew the program inside and out and know it was full of lies.
Thank you! These people are acting like a bunch of victims and 3 year old kids. Id like all of u to realize if you got sent here its your own doing. If u didnt get anything out of the program its your own doing. If you are the same person doing the same thing with the same bad attitude as before you qent to the program wake up! Its your own doing! Cry me a fuking river you unaccountable over sensative pussies!
You – Tom, sound like a prick. If you went to Spring Creek Lodge you would know the truth.
Tom, we couldnt look at girls. We got in trouble for looking at girls, Tom. I spent alot of time in worksheets for looking at girls. Tom, you had to be one of those stick in the ass junior staff. The ones that got their dicks hard when handing out cat 2s for looking at girls. You should head over to the kiss wwasps ass forums. Youd be moderator in no time
i wrote the above comment as “rebecca”. i was at spring creek lodge the summer of 2004 (in serenity). i was only there for 3 months because I was kicked out. i was looking for ashley in particular, who was there at the same time, in a different family and was kicked out and sent to Idaho with me. but i think i might remember some of you that commented..
Hey my name is Katie I was in charity in 2004 and 2005 i started a small uprising with some other girls from worksheets. They finally kicked me out but told my family it was because I wouldn’t stop making myself throw up..which is true..but i think that mini riot pushed them over the edge. So good to finally find some people who can relate to my experience. I would love to reconnect with some of the girls I knew. If you remember a tall redhead who kept rebelling thats me! Lol
I was there too. By the sounds of, around the same time. Only difference is my parents brought me and lied convincing me it was just a boarding school where I could easier focus on my education without the distractions that gangs and drugs were causing at the time. But scl was filled with the same shit. People cheeking and trading meds, one guy evwn got caught smoking the one nug of weed he managed to smuggle in using an apple and a lighter he stole from one of the car of one of the many stoners they had working there.
I ran with the nortenos back in the day, and lucky me, there was one fellow 15yo ene there from antioch…but 3 surenos and a crip, and this asian dude that was muscly as fuck but mentally a complete bitch who just wanted the crips to like him. And just cause they flew the same colour rag, the crips n scraps clickes up. So in all, it was 2 vs 6. We got jumped constantly, almost every other day cause there was shit to do n people got bored. And the instructors just allowed it to happen saying they needed to blow off some steam.
Luckily tho, my parents found out about the school from the parents of my brother in law who was still enlrolled. And collin is a big, built, corn fed country boy. For the firat few weeks, he and I werenteven allowed to make eye contact. But after they saw that he and I wweren’t causing iasues, they let us interact and hang out at free time which is when most jumpings occured. The next time the Flue rag bitches tried to creep on us, they got completely smashed on. They didnt fuck with us anymore after that.
But Thirteen was the wrong move. Its The Sleepers (or just Sleepers) with kevin bacon.
Fuck every parent that ever sent their kids to this school. It fucked me up more than any amount my hometown could have.
I am the only one to ever escape That’s fucked up. I was only 15. It was 1996. I was there for a total of maybe 10 weeks. Your story of me running away and stealing a boat was true but that was my first attempt. Damn that was a long ass run through a dark ass forest Didn’t make it down the hill until sun started coming up. I took off on foot the first time because I could hear a train horn in the distance so I thought I would try to jump on it and go whatever way it took me and I will figure out my next move whenever I got the fuck away from those assholes. When I got to the bottom there was a river that was a 100 yards wide. I thought about jumping in and swimming but it was moving fast so that idea was scratched. There was an aluminum boat somebody had chained up but no paddles so after busting the padlock with a boulder (took about 45 minutes but I finally did it) I went back in the forest and found some branches to use as paddles. Took a minute but finally made it across the river next was a big ass cliff of rocks that elevated the river bank from the train tracks. That was probably the biggest struggle so far was making it up that 10ft wall because it was at a 90 degree angle but I got up it. About an hour goes by waiting on tracks and I hear the horn and get excited. Tell me why this muthafucking train was flying by at about 60 mph. I lived in the San Francisco Bay Area and never saw a train in an unpopulated area. Shit all the trains out here unless commuter are moving slower than I can walk. So after that I just walked out to the street and tried my luck hitchhiking only to be picked up by someone who knew Cameron and his gay ass brother. So I was laying in the back of the pick up with a blanket covering me thinking I got a ride out of there. Surprised when we pulled over to see those twin fags. After sitting in isolation for about 3 weeks I was finally back to my next way out of here. The only friend I made there was an upper level named will from Houston Texas (if he ever sees this I just wanted to thank you my nigga and hope u didn’t get in trouble because of me). He was assigned to be my shadow and he had been there for 13 months or something and was almost out of there but he was still the same person that arrived there just faking it to get out of there. I was telling him how I’m never gonna give up on getting out of there and he helped me come up with a plan. There was 2 of us that actually pulled off the escape and made it all the way to Washington before we split up. He was in Samoa for 22 months his name was josh and he was upper level and was already 18 but he went on a pass and when he confessed that he had sex with his girlfriend ( who he had a 2 year old baby with) and just got dropped back down to level 1. Anyways he could of just walked out of there technically but we shared a bunk and we just waited until the night staff that always falls asleep was there and the staff that was the leader of our cabin (jay bird) I feel so bad because he was the nicest out of all the staff. Long story short i stole his truck and drove to Idaho filled up at a self serve gas station then ditched the truck in Spokane Washington. He called his family first they told him that if he doesn’t go back to program he couldn’t go home. My heart felt empty because the program manipulated his parents. He was only about 15 minute drive from his house also when his dumb ass told his parents where we were so I just said please tell them I dropped u off here and I jumped back in truck and went to a pay phone by air port. Called my mom and told her that I love her and I am safe and don’t want her to worry about me. I will make it to California within the next 2 days. She said she already knew I was gone and she knew about a couple other crimes I did in between to eat and whatever so she was my biggest cheerleader to get home and booked me a plane ticket to get home that was departing in about an hour. Let me tell u that last hour was the craziest shit It was like a movie because I wasn’t gonna get comfortable just sitting around the airport. I went inside one of the bathrooms and locked the stall and stood on top of toilet seat top so u couldn’t see my feet. Luckily it had a speaker in there so it would do last calls for every departure. During that hour Cameron and someone else came in the bathroom looking for me and there was a person in one of the stalls a couple doors down from mine lol. These fools knocked on his door and the guy was like what the fuck do u want in a deep voice and they just apologized said they were looking for one of the students because he is missing and plane is about to take off. I almost didn’t get away because I had a hard time leaving my friend josh there waiting to get picked up. that is the full truth and whole truth about my 2 escape attempts within my 2 months I was there.
Mike, I’m pretty sure I was there with you. Blackburn or blackbourne?
To josh lamberts mother. I am so sorry to hear about Josh. I was the one that stole the truck and ran away with him. I just read the article on what he had done to his grandfathers and when it said that no one said anything positive about Josh I was shocked. Josh was a fucking great guy in my opinion during the time I knew him. He was a good friend to me and if it wasn’t for him I might not have made it out that place. If u want to call me since I am not much into computers please feel free. 510-666-5591. Mike. And I will tell u anything I can remember. I am gonna write him sometime this week also. What a fucking shame. Josh was a good guy but we share a bad trait and that is a short fuse
Rebecca…
I was also in Serenity’s “Family” tho I was there in 1999. I wish I was as brave as you. Luckily I was 17 at my time of imprisonment and only had 10 1/2 months to wait out till my 18th birthday. Thank God!! I’d like to connect and talk about your experience more if you are up to it?
I was in Serenity from 1999 to 2002. I had blacked out a lot of what happened there during my stay. I hope the girls in my family are alright. I have heard too many rumors of people killing themselves after leaving. The real world never has felt normal since.
My god! I was in Spring Creek Community. That was what it was before your time. It was very bad but apparently it had gotten worse. I salute your efforts and yes , the only time I saw someone allowed to leave was because they stopped talking period. I feel for you.
Holy fuck I remember a few of these events. I spent twenty seven and a half months there. I was in dignity then Focus, then respect when I was sent back. God damn fuck that place so fucking much.
How do I get my transcript and diploma
I was in Genesis 2007-2008.
Rebecca. This is Michelle from charity. We have all found each other and I am pretty sure from ur story u are the Becca we have missed. We want to have a reunion this coming year. Please find me on Facebook. I am just under Michelle A but maybe u can find Shannon or someone and we can add u to our group chat. I know you posted that message a long time ago, but we will always know and remember each other. You were a special soldier in my eyes when we were there together. Headstrong, but very strong.
Yep just had a nightmare I was there again woke up feeling sick and not wanting to go back to sleep. This happens more often than you would believe and I have been out for over eight years. Damn that hell hole.
Omg Ian and Jennifer, I totally remember you guys (and maybe others)! I was there 2005-2007 and this is a freaking trip reading all of this. I had no idea there were websites like this. No wonder my counselor at school had so many questions when I told her I went to Spring Creek. Then again I definitely wasn’t trying to find anything like this when I got out, and Facebook has done wonders for finding people and talking about all the crazy shit our parents and others will ever get.
Ian Baldwin I remember you wisdom family. I remember a lot of stuff remember Tyler parish. I have night mares still as well fuck I am 30 years old now and still can’t get past my time spent there. I was the only guy there from Alaska.
@vladimir
Is your name nick? I remember being IN LOVE with you (the Alaska comment reminded me!!) aka looking out the window at you haha. I was in innocence. I was there from dec 05 – dec 07. Sending you lots of love and good vibes from CA. Feel free to reach out!
Gaby
@gabsterbanger on Instagram
Gabrielle.gray@ymail.com
Omg where you the two that got in trouble with the kite passing under the table in the chow hall? if so i remember when they moved him..
I was in Thompson falls in 2003 when I was 16 I was taken in the nigh and spent 4 months. It talking to my parents I watched countless times as fellow students were beat and neglected in the hobbit there was one student who they sent to the hobbit every day I hope the kids who were abused win there case if this place was still open I would run up in that camp and take shit over
I was in Thompson falls in 2003 when I was 16 I was taken in the nigh and spent 4 months. It talking to my parents I watched countless times as fellow students were beat and neglected in the hobbit there was one student who they sent to the hobbit every day I hope the kids who were abused win there case if this place was still open I would run up in that camp and take shit over I was in respect sept through December
Moderated ? Have some more koolaid commys.😆
I’m using a fake name but my mom said she’s been here and I asked her for the name to do research, this place was a hellhole! I hope everyone who’s had to go through staying here is okay. If I were there some of the staff who is still alive (probably) would not be.. My mom suffers ptsd from this place too. I can’t ask her any info from whatever “family” thing she came from without sounding suspicious but I can say her name is Randi.
Whomever wrote that comment from 2001, I was there and pretty much remember every bit that was described. Respect “family” from 2000-2001. I hope Cameron and Chaffin get butt hole cancer.
anytime I hear someone say, “agreed.”
I almost puke.
In 2017 my husband and I rented a cabin at spring creek. We knew nothing about the controversy surrounding the academy. We lived across blue slide road near the river. While the cabin was cute it was built very strange. A bit away from the cabin there was a massive log building. Upon entering it there was a huge staircase coming straight from the second floor directly into the main room. I was absolutely terrified of that building and refused to go in it even though that’s where we kept our for the fireplace. That place was pure evil. While living there I got so sick I almost died. Someone needs to burn that place to the ground after what I know now.
I have been forced to stay at Spring Creek Lodge for three years. I still have nightmares about this place, and it has been 7 years since I have graduated from this place. My nightmares were mostly about feeling trapped and having no sense of control over my own life. I am the type of person who has deep thoughts, and I am not always conscious of my surroundings. Consequently, It was very easy for me to lose points for being unconscious and neglectful, especially when all the girls in leadership positions used to watch us like hawks and consequent us for every minor mistake. I think there should be better ways with dealing with teen behavior. We were just kids after all.
I used to watch Cameron and Chaffen walk around there as if they were kings of the facility. They did not care about the kids. They only cared about money. I was ghost. In fact, I actually got away with not talking to anyone for a few months. I don’t think anyone knew or cared that I did not speak. As long as I stayed a ghost, no one felt tempted to pick on me, and that was good for me. I was a naive kid that cared deeply about what others thought of me, I figured staying out of peoples lives would make me feel better. No wonder that girl killed herself. The trouble teens in the cabin did not care about her, they were too wrapped up on trying to SURVIVE the program.
I was at SCLA in their final days of neglect and deceit. They had went from being a “prestigious” boarding school with a student body of over 500, to nothing more than a run down academy with very few staff and only a handful of students. The rules there never changed, and the overall mentality of staff was neglectful and oblivious to the emotional conflicts of individual students at SCLA. I can’t say i didn’t learn anything from the academy, and there are definitely a few individuals i met there that i will never forget, but that school was nothing more than a money trap for parents having difficulties understanding there teenagers, using kids to profit hundreds of thousand’s of dollars every year. I’m personally glad that the school has been shut down, recently being changed to a place where student’s can take college courses.
Use your experiences in life to grow and learn.
I was at SCL from 2005 to 2007, and I feel exactly the same way as Zach. Money trap, most definetely. I would say more but it seems it’s already been covered. haha.
I was in spring creek in 1998. Kids got raped, beaten, thrown in the ‘hobbit’ constantly with a large male staff always handy to kick their ass and ensure that they stayed on silence. My parents grew wary of them after a few phone calls and a letter I sent to my father using codes and I was pulled after about 7 months of intense madness of a true American teenie gulag.
I made the mistake of crossing the jr. Staff at a facility meeting for abuse and was relegated to level 3 status no matter how much time I spent as family leader and asst. fam leader. I had it relatively good. Friends of mine like little Doug, John H., Eugene, and countless others endured unspeakable abuse at the hands of Lichfield led psychopathic, Mormon, disciplinarian sadists like Chaffin Pullan, his brother Cameron, Duane Smotherman, not to mention the lower level rapist night watchmen and junior staff. It was insane, and when I left as a confused very immature 16 year old boy, I felt guilty for not figuring out a way to rescue my brothers who’s parents had not been quick in catching up to the scam.
Evil people…it was the first time I encountered truly evil adults who practiced trickery and manipulation to maintain a yoke of control upon their wayward little piggy banks. I heard it improved as time went on, but even those who spent time there in the last days, after it had been exposed as a torture facility have my pity for having to experience such things as went on.
For every story that made it out of there…every injustice exposed that the children experienced, there are a hundred more that were never told. Those of us that spent time in Wisdom, Courage, Unity, legend, serenity, eternity etc. know this.
Most who praise these places are shills who profited off of it. I could have done this as my family married into the Lichfield mafia in Utah… I no longer speak to them. It never goes away no matter how long in the rear view the experience was. The feelings of hopelessness, mental rape, and imprisonment for whatever offense perpetrated at home, and dealt with by uniform aggression and abuse always remain. I was a lucky one considering the time I was there few were spared from atrocious violence. I hate to say I inflicted violence on other kids to remain in good standing with family fathers etc. but it’s true. I’m sure a couple men still think of me with enmity as I do for those who were above me.
It’s a mind fuck. For those of you relatively fresh out, young and confused, don’t try to rationalize what happened there because you never will. Simply try to forgive, forget, and move on. If you fail in life because you can’t shake the memories, they win. Once you feel detached enough to fight the bastards and spread your own testimony of their treachery, do so. People should know what went on and what still goes on in remote corners of the country and abroad to children whose parents have been duped into this stuff. It was a nightmare, but wear your survival with pride. You are better because you made it out and can turn the pain into strength if you make yourself do so. Hell is hot and Thompson Falls was cold…yet they were hard to tell apart at times. To those of you who bled and cried with us through gravel pits and focus seminars (lifeboat process 😉 ) I love you and if we unite against these bastards in a mature and orderly fashion, we can give them the coups de grace that they need. Admin of this site, thank you! Your friend, Myles- Wisdomfamily1998
I was in Wisdom right when i got there in July 1998, I soon transfered to Courage Family due to a letter I wrote home. I was the kid that got messed with. As i remember it I was sleeping Sunday morning and a junior staff decided to climb on me while asleep and dry hump me, I kicked him off and of course he tried to punish me.
Was Doug the little guy that was always in the hobbit? John the one i remember was a cool guy, he was the one that talked to me when i got there. He was from the East Coast somewhere like North Carolina.
Eugene was the black kid that was wild right? I seem to remember a story about him using a fire exstinguisher on a staff member in Courage family before he got moved to Wisdom.
Gavin! What’s up buddy, Courage was formed after I had arrived in that hell hole. Eugene was a veteran who had been there long before I was there. He was a wild son of a bitch, but a sweet guy. That place brought out the worst in people. He beat a staff up with a vacuum tube if I recall correctly…insanity breeds insane behavior if you ask me. Doug was indeed the little guy always getting thrown the Hobbit with that big oaf staff member Kayden. John was my best friend there and he was a cool guy from N.Carolina. He got screwed over so badly by the seminar powers that be I still want to cave Duane Smotherman’s head in with my fist when I think about what they did to him. John and myself began talking to new comers at night about ‘towing the line and going away on the inside so to speak’. It was an action born of us sitting up at night talking when we were family leaders trying to make sure we didn’t get programmed. I remember you vaguely. Did you wear glasses? Anyway, I’m sorry you got screwed with. Most did in one way or another. It’s been a long time, but it would be nice to make life a little worse for the sycophantic freaks that ran that place and all the others. I hope you feel the same. -Myles
Well, I can’t believe I’m reading this as I sit here with my wife remembering the horror stories. It is weird that the story of the fire extinguisher is right there in front of me because it was Eugene and me who did that. That place haunts me everyday and every night, and I suffer from PTSD thanks to that hell hole. It’s really disheartening to hear about the shared hopelessness we all felt. To this day, I’m yet to tell my mother,who sent me there because I was not dealing with my dad’s suicide the way she needed me to (I guess), what that place did to me. Someone mentioned that it was a place where we lost our dreams and it seems like that US true bc everything th a rd happened to me after I left has been a result of what that place made me become.
Hey Gavin I remember you. I was in courage from 98 to 99. I remember you being really into cars. Wasn’t your favorite some Buick stage 1 or something? I spent a lot of time in the hobbit and even more time in the worksheet room. Man that place was horrible, 25 years later and I still have bad dreams about it. I remember so much about that place, I think I was the only person from Montana who was locked up there. Shitty times and bad memories. Hope you are doing well and having a good life.
Dude that was me jake and Eugene but I didn’t make it out the window in time. Yeah they messed with us early guys pretty hard.
How are you gonna mention doug b4 me man lol
JOHN!!!!!!! Hello!!!!! I am hoping you remember me! I am sure since our moms hit it off and we kept in contact for a while after getting out. I heard you had a baby a while back! Congrats! I have just for some odd reason been thinking about my time spent in hell…and decided to google it! Well suprise suprise they got shut down! It has been great to read all of these posts and see the familiar names….its good to see how you all are doing…Its so strange that all of us went through this shit together but were so “far apart” I wish i could get my hands on a damn SCL 98/99 directory of students AND staff haha…I hope all of you are doing well…..I am happy to say I am loving life with my two kiddos and living in Denver …best city ever 🙂 so if any of you remember me please feel free to email me! I would love to hear from you ….a sort of “closure” or new beginning 🙂 j.columbus1982@gmail.com take care!
Assault And battery false imprisonment and torture .apparently are not illegal!
I would like to contact anyone who was in Paradise Cove and Spring Creek Lodge with my son Joshua Lambert 1997=1999 and witness abuse toward him.
I knew Joah at Sprimg Creek. He was one of the good ones in the jr. Staff. I remember when he was demonized to all hell after he stole the car and escaped with some gangbanger kid. He was always fair and in one particular incident backed me up for calling out a jr. Staff member for beating on a thirteen year old who had been sent there for being too fat. I don’t know what went on in Samoa, but I know at Spring Creek he was considered one of the less sadistic members of the junior staff and didn’t let them brain wash him completely which is quite a fete. How is he? Tell him Myles from Wisdom says hello. He probably won’t remember me, but I remember him as he was assigned to my family a lot. Straight shooter and solid guy.
My son Gabriel was there in 1997. He is almost 32 years old and is just now starting to talk about what happened at Spring Creek, which is why I am just now doing research on what others experiences were at this facility. He may have known your son. I will ask him. You are more than welcomed to contact me privately at greene0756@gmail.com. I will be glad to put you in contact with my son so you can discuss with him directly.
Uhh holy crap… I didn’t hear about Josh’s current troubles til now. I hope he hires a lawyer soon. He was indeed traumatized by wwasps. I don’t see that as an excuse for doing what he did if he did it, but yeah, he was screwed with like all of us. I have no doubt that if he had not been subjected to the types of violence we all experienced in the programs, he wouldn’t be in his current predicament. I’m sorry to hear of his problems and I hope he will finally get the mental hell he needs. That said…I hope he doesn’t come to my neighborhood.
Hi Susan Lambert,
My name is Stephanie Hudson and i went to Spring Creek Lodge in 1999-2000. I remember Joshua somewhat.
please email me at ms.stephanielhudson@yahoo.com I will tell you everything i rememeber.
Thanks
Stephanie from Destiny?
That place was complete hell. They always talk about through the kids at the facility “fake it until you make it” this was very true because if you didn’t you were severely punished with consequences. The one that always struck me as ridiculous was how they wouldn’t let you look at the girls. It’s like they were taunting the kids. Sick shit man. I remember when I finally made it to jr.staff and I somehow managed to get into the HR building and do paperwork for a couple weeks. I had access to everyone’s files and some of the pictures of self mutilation that the kids did to themselves as a result of staff was disturbing. They saved them all in there files on polaroids. I was only 15 at the time and was seeing that stuff. Seriously hope everyone involved in that places burns. One day they will have to answer for the things they did.
No I was in Serenity….99-2000. I was one of the only black people in Spring Creek Lodge.
I was in montana with josh. I saw stuff tbey did to him there.
Susan … I was in springcreek from 1999to 2000. I am a female so didn’t get much interaction w the males but I can definately remember the things that went on there.
John Harrigal….only one man ever could be the hairy girl. You are a testament to the endurance of a restless spirit haha. You’re a good man, and always have been. We both know what’s what from that time and I wish there were things I had done differently like throw your ‘truth to power’ ass in the backseat of my parents’ car and get you outta there. I felt like I abandoned you man…still haunted by that shit. It’s obviously worked out well for you and you deserve every ounce of success and happiness you get in life. I wonder whatever happened to Atfield? Anyway, just be good man, and if you ever want to, you know how to get ahold of me. On a side note, in that place the duality of man became very apparent. It was a bad experience because I learned to see the good side of otherwise evil people and empathize which has cost me a lot, but it also taught me to not be afraid of bullies. If everyone who has a bone to pick with these people do so in a mature manner, and I have been guilty of getting pissed off when finding out about the fates of the Cory Murphy’s and Josh Lambert’s of the world, this place and others like it can have a positive impact. In fact it seems like it already has.
Anyway brother John, you were the guy who carried me through that time. We leaned on each other a bit. Continue to be happy, take care of the young ones and the wife, and be thankful. Know as well that I would do anything for you bro. All in all it is all as it is supposed to be. Merry Christmas homie… I self correct… I mean uhh and happy new year.
I can’t believe I have to write on this blog to get help in locating my high school transcripts but here I am : ( I’m a nurse now and back in college to advance my career. I thought this was all behind me but it’s not. Pretty frustrating to get an email from a Saunders county employee that they do not have our school records. Does anyone know how I can get my high school transcripts? I was there 2002-2003. I looked up an article and saw Browning Distance learning affiliated with KenKay but upon trying to call, the number is no longer in service : ( I left a voicemail with the department of education for the state of MT, haven’t heard back. If anyone can help guide me it would be greatly appreciated. In the meantime I might have to get a GED how stupid and ridiculous that even though I have my diploma and unofficial transcripts that’s still not enough :/
I was in the program from 02-03 I was in unity family. Let me start off by saying this place was shit!! I spent most of my time I the Hobbit and did not pass level there my parents were brain washed,and my family turned against me I have deep anger issues from this place aam glad it is shut down. All of you have BRV’s lol remember remember the fifth of November!!
Brandon, I was always in intervention. Everyday for a year and a half. My name is Nick Theriault. Do you know it? I was in Quest family
Quest family veteran here. 1999-2001
It’s been almost 20 fucking years, I still hear that phrase every fucking day. “Based on your results you have exactly what you intended.”
I was also in quest. Early 2004.
Spent a lot of my time in intervention. Then got transferred to the ranch. And eventually to Jamaica.
I was in Spring Creek from 2001-2004 was the only person I am aware of to be kicked out of PC3, as a level 6- for being honest about my home contract. I was also the youngest on the facility, for I was a fresh 13 year old. After “choosing out” of PC3- I was pulled four months later (age 15-almost 16). My parents then sent me to a southern baptist program in Kentucky for my junior year. After that, I was sent back to scl for my last year (17-18). That place did way more harm than good. There was absolutely no one qualified to look after us. The reinforcement system was not logical- it mainly made us believe we’d never get out. My parents spent over $100,000 to keep me at Scl when they never even went to visit the place to begin with. Another side note- my reason for being there was because I did not like my step dad and argued with my parents constantly. I didn’t do drugs or break any laws, cut myself, or even have sex. So happy that place was shut down. No one deserved that treatment and lies.
Chelsey,
I was in Serenity family in 2002. I remember you, I believe. Did you have braces? God what a miserable time. All the brainwashed nitwits tattling on family moms who “broke the rules” and were just trying to make our time a little more pleasurable. Poor Miss Keely, I will never forget her. What an awesome lady.
Hi, I was in Serenity 2001-2003 as well. I think I remember Chelsea…. That place was horrible….
I was one of the few who got away. When I arrived i saw brainwashed kids everywhere I looked. There was so much abuse, manipulation and borderline child abuse/molestation going on. I couldn’t take it. There was no way in hell I was going to become another statistic. Some birds aren’t meant to be caged. After extensive prepping and planning. I finally made my escape it was a cold Novemeber night about 2am. Propped the magnetic door locks they had, broke the door wide open & ran for my life. After running all night in the freezing cold(my sweat was frozen to my beanie),I was caught the next morning around 10am. They put out a search party for me…police, volunteers, staff ect….those 8 hours of freedom were so sweet. It also earned me a one way ticket out of that he’ll hole.
I always wondered who it was that made it out! Good job!!!
Was this in 2003 when you ran?
From Morava to Spring Creek both were awful ! Still have actual nightmares being there!
I was sent there when i was 13 as well for almost two years i was the youngest girl there too im now 28 and feel as if that place ruined my life and changed the path my life i wished ended up.. I had only ditched school a couple times and got into a few fights at school for kids picking on me and when i was sent there i learned so many things its like i couldnt wait to go home and become a “cool kid” and do all the things i heard in stories told by 15 to 18 year olds. I was still a virgin when i went there.. That got taken from me.. I started my period all alone and was laughed at by other girls. I was in the family Charity and never made it past level 2. The twins gave me level 3 just so i could go to a seminar and see my mom in hopes that it would calm me down but it only made things worse.. I was in and out of worksheets daily and spent countless hours nights days and weeks in the hobit. I was molested and beaten up and learned things i would of never dreamnt of knowing how to do or been around people like that until my mother sent me there. Pretty much just to get me out of her hair so she could drink and party honestly. I have ptsd, severe anxiety, insomnia, intermittent explosive disorder andb severe depression and i believe its all from there. I wouldnt wish that place upon my enemym Chaffin eventually had enough of me and so did every one else i guess and tried to make my mom send me to Jamaica where they had no child labor laws but my mom just brought me home instead.. Made up a home contract followed it for 2 weeks once i got home at the age of 15 and of course got bored and went out to find older kids.. The “cool kids” in my neighborhood to hang out with.. And within 5 months of being home i was doing drugs and pregnant and getting into physical fights with my mother. That place ruined me. $347,500 dollars later and im worse off then i ever thought or my mom thought id be.
I was there in 2003. Ithink I remember you felecia. Were you from AZ
I was at SCLA from 03-04 and I never once saw a kid get injured who didn’t run/fight staff me ever to get restrained. I was in and out of worksheets/intervention from walking opposite direction as my (courage)family group on purpose to always keep the staff on their toes I guess you cn say I have a problem walking a straight line with others? I can honestly say I was glad I went to spring creek because I did 10th thru 12th grade of high school in just 10 short months, I would have never received a high school diploma if it wasn’t for spring creek. Sure it sucks not beig able to eat or watch tv when you want and you have to follow a bunch of bullshit rules. It sucks but it is what it is you make the best with what life throws at you. I am totally against peer on peer displine because upper level assholes are corrupt as hell. But as far as the staff go I had nothing but great staff member Chaffin and Cameron did walk around like kings but they were harmless. The staff only fuck with you if you give them a reason to I had support staff called on me 500+ times and never once had to get put on the ground, like I said earlier I would walk away on my own lol and would just verbally talk shit never showed aggression where the staff felt I would attack. At the same time I’ve seen some kids get body slammed to the ground when they were showing agression in intervention. Those kids deserved that, they asked for it. Overall spring creek sucked but it wasn’t a bad abusive place when I was there like everyone else has said atleast not in my experience lmao.
CHILDREN NEVER, EVER “ASK FOR” OR “DESERVE ABUSE. PERIOD. Being “bodyslammed”, “fucked with”, or otherwise attacked or abused is never okay regardless of what behavior the CHILD may be demonstrating. This is akin to the argument that it is okay to hit (or rape) a woman if she is “asking for it”. Even if we accepted your premise, the staff at these programs never received the kind of training necessary to properly make any kind of decisions on restraint of any kind (as evidenced by the “bodyslamming”, which is definitely NOT a medically-approved form of intervention) nor to offer any sort of treatment at all, which is probably why they didn’t offer any in actuality.
I wonder what qualifies you to say a place to “bodyslammed” or “fucked with” children wasn’t abusive? If I slammed my child onto the ground, chicken-winged them, locked them into a small room or made them lay on their face or assume so-called “stress positions” (which have been ruled torture and not allowable even for detainees being interrogated in Gitmo) for days on end, I would rightly be charged with child abuse. But if a “program” does it, using staff that usually had high school diplomas at max and who were paid around minimum wage and poorly trained if at all, while charging tens of thousands of dollars a year, somehow it becomes okay? This is utterly ridiculous nonsensical “logic”.
I’d also like to point that schooling in this program left something to be desired, and doing three entire grades in 10 months is a good example of why.
That was definitely former staff!
We never deserved that nor the awful mental and emotional repercussions that still longer and influence us today. I’ve been in therapy and diagnosed with PTSD because of this horrible, awful place. Cameron, Chaffin, Ken Kay and all the rest deserve to rot in a special place in their Mormon hell for child abusers.
i couldn’t agree more
Hey Tyler remember me it Henry or I went by Anthony
Roger Lichfield is apparently going to be running one of his Daddy’s new schools soon. Apparently he is taking Narvin’s (what a name…only a backwards inbred banjo playing hicks would name their son ‘Narvin’) place as Narvin has had too many run ins with the law. Be prepared boys and girls…Roger is as dumb and sadistic as it gets. He is too stupid to be evil…but the results are the same. Hopefully he’ll continue doing what he’s been doing for the last ten years flying around the world on blood money and watching his emanciated baby factory of a wife try to run marathons til she falls over dead. And to think she used to be my favorite cousin…shame shame.
Wow someone has their facts wrong
Narvin…. I’m sorry, but anyone who leaves their kid in the care of a man named Narvin needs a brain transplant. Maybe we should start a program for kids where they actually receive help and guidance rather than classic Maoist brainwashing and abuse. Hell, I would bet just about everyone on this site is more qualified than these Utards…sorry Utahns. I’m even getting a psych degree in six months. Robert Lichfield can barely read. We could all make millions 🙂
My name is Gabe and I was in a WWASP program from January 1997 to December 1997. I was 15 years old. They had just opened Spring Creek Lodge in Montana. I was led to believe that I was going on a vacation with my Mom to Park Cities, Utah. We flew into Las Vegas and next day drove to what I thought was Park Cities. I was excited the whole way… I couldn’t wait to go snowboarding. I remember her pulling over at what I thought was a Motel 6 to ask for directions. She went in while I stayed in the car. After about 15 minutes, I went in to see what was taking her so long. I couldn’t see through the mirror tint on the front door so went in. I saw her at the desk and heard the door auto lock behind me and two staff members grabbed me. I knew I was fucked. I had arrived at Brightway!
I stayed at Brightway for about 2 weeks before being flown to Montana. I was still in denial about the whole situation waiting for my Mom to show up and say “just kidding” but she never came. Cameron became my new guardian and made that perfectly clear when I got there. There were only about 20 boys at Spring Creek when I arrived… we were the first and opened that damn hell hole like prisoners opening up a new yard. No one knew what to expect. The youngest of our group was Cliff, he was only 11 or 12 years old. The oldest was Jay at 17. One by one, we all watched new kids come in. It was winter time and the most snow I’ve ever seen. When enough boys had arrived, they split us into 3 groups and told us to come up with “family names” and we would get our own cabins. I actually came up with our family name “Wisdom.” The other 2 groups chose “Unity” and “Legend.” Slowly we started to realize something wasn’t right with these people. They were all Mormons and tried to push that religion on us. They beat us, starved us, humiliated us and made us walk through 10 degree weather in our boxers and flip flops. Kids trying to commit suicide was a weekly issue.
Jr. staff starting arriving from Samoa to work at Spring Creek, and after seeing me and other kids getting mangled by grown adults, two kids Jake and Eugene, made a run for it. Jake was really a quite person and Eugene was just the opposite. I was Jake’s closest friend there and I tried to convince him not to run because I knew he wouldn’t make it… we all felt the same about busting out of there. I kept my mouth shut and the next night they were gone. They were found and brought back a few days later, and were beaten within an inch of their lives. And of course, because I was Jake’s closest friend, I caught the most shit over their escape for withholding information… I denied the truth to staff. I was there for one year and witnessed everything including kids trying to kill themselves. I was wild myself, but after being dropped on my face in the gravel and getting my lip and teeth busted by staff (an ex Marine named Randy), I kept a low key. I witnessed a staff member force a 13 year old boy to give him oral sex in the bathroom late one night when everyone was asleep… WTF!
Staff worked us like slave labor chopping down trees. They made us build fort style fences around the staff cabins and lay rock gravel pits. We were thrown in freezing ponds infested with who knows what just for fun. A few times a week I would help in the kitchen making food and washing dishes. I stole a sharp kitchen knife for protection. I kept it on me at all times. I was 15 years old and literally in survival mode ready to kill any jr. staff or staff member that fucked with me or discovered I was concealing a weapon.
I never even made it to level 3… I didn’t want it. I just wanted to survive and not stand out. The more attention I created, the more chances that my knife would be discovered. I was never the same after leaving the program. The young, free spirited, charismatic kid that came there never got to go back home. He was replaced with a paranoid, confused kid who was obsessed with protecting himself. I could no longer socialize with kids in my normal high school, and it destroyed any chance of a normal high school experience. I secretly carried my stepdad’s handgun to school every day and kept to myself. I lived life through my headphones and skateboard. Looking back… we were just kids and the most important time of a young man’s life… his adolescence. While most kids our age were learning about respect from their fathers, how to flirt with girls and going to proms, we missed all of that. Honestly I’ve never really been the same… anxiety and paranoia surround my life, which all the Xanax in the world won’t take away… I’ve tried.
It is now 2013 and I have been incarcerated in federal prison since early 2007, ironically for felony possession of a fire arm. I will be released at the end of this year. I’ve been in prison most of my adult life and I’ve never been as scared and helpless as I was the year I spent at Spring Creek Lodge. I am writing this from a prison cell and it is being submitted on my behalf by another party who told me about this site.
Oh yeah, and every time I hear the song “time after time” I want to throw up until every blood vessel in my eyes have exploded!
Jake and Eugene were awesome! Jake was the guy that told me: ‘uh you won’t make it if you run unless you want to hide under a truck for six months. Smile and nod…fuck em later on.’ Advice I took to heart and am still trying to finish the latter half of.
Omg Eugene! He was amazing!
Gabe, wow man. Unfortunately your story is very common and many of us who came out of their were actual threats to society where before we were just snotty little bastards. I think losing all freedom and seeing horrors perpetrated by adults on children…adults who you have to call your ‘family father’ etc. er cetera, it changes you. They meant to make us weak and docile through shock. Instead it just made us a little crazy to varying degrees. I have a burning hatred in my heart that I want gone badly.
I have a self destructive sort of apathy that only struck me after seeing the shit that went on there. I lost my fear of consequences, rules, or really even death in the real world because none of it seemed to compare in measure to the pain I had already witnessed and experienced. In a way we are kind of like people who have been through any sort of trauma and didn’t seek help. Our ‘help’ was the trauma…it was child abuse. We who were there know…and it will never go away. Don’t punish yourself brother. Live well and prosper when you finish your stint. Don’t look back, and don’t try to lose yourself in some routine…just live. Remember that we have an advantage over the unenlightened masses, we know real suffering…therefore we can better recognize real happiness. Be happy, you deserve it. If you want to have whoever it is who posts for you write me and I will gladly continue corresponding with you. Sometimes talking to those who were there can be the best medicine. Whatever you do, take it out on the Utarded Mormon mafia running these places…not yourself.
-Myles wisdomfamily1998
Myles, you’re awesome… you have no idea how much that would mean to Gabe. Please contact me at greene0756@gmail.com and I will give you Gabe’s info. Thanks
I was in wisdom with cliff. He was half a fag
Hahahahahahahahahahahaha Damn it John.
I was in SCL in 1997, I think I remember you Gabe. I was in the Genesis family.
Did you know my son, Zach? He was from Ohio and was there about a year before going to Czech. (Morava?) I am sick reading all of these comments. Zach was there because his alternative would’ve been juvenile prison. I thought I was doing the right thing. I feel awful for all of you having to go through all of this.
Anita I wish your family the best.
It’s been awhile…I can’t say much for my short stay that others haven’t. So many names seem familiar now but long forgotten since 1997. It was really something special to meet Zach many years later in my 20’s and talk about that genesis family we were in. I always felt cheated out of that time of life I missed, that life they often preached was over because we had ruined it (self affirming prophecies and pseudo self help jargon) but I am blessed for the perspective it gives on how short life is. The spring creek program was a joke for sure but I say there are some people and effects we would not have known if it weren’t for that horrific experience. Some folks can smile and make you laugh and make you forget you’re in tremendous pain, that is a rare gift indeed and will be missed. Peace out, as Zach would say!
Hi Anita – Have you read the book Come Back by Claire and Mia Fontaine? Mia was in Morava and I believe your son, Zach, is mentioned. I came to this site after reading that book, which is very positive about the experience. I was shocked to read the other side of the story. I hope you are all healing.
Stephanie
I know u! Brian. I left in ’97, spent a year there.
No one gets what happened at SCL. My parents never paid attention to me much less tried to listen. They paid the staff there to abuse me.
Thats the mentality of my parents, and I cant go back any where near them. I watch as my other siblings get love but theres never enough left over for me. All I get is judgement and no matter what I am wrong and it is my fault.
SCL taught me that no matter what I will ALWAYS be at fault. If I breath then it is my fault.
Thats it, Im sick of breathing now. If my brother ever reads this I hope he gets as far away from the abuse that is the family.
What upppppppppppppp
Johnny Boy, I love you buddy. How’s life?
Legend 1997
I want a refund.
Wuz up?
Chase mickey…johnkharrigal@gmail.com
Gavin!!! I remember you and can remember your love of old classic muscle cars. I hope you’re doing great and have found someone that loves you for you! I was with you in Courage and with you some when I made jr. Staff. I remember John too. Reading about Josh Lambert is shocking. I was in Courage family with him when I first went to SCL. He was my bunk mate upstairs in Grizzly. Damn…
Hi Gavin! I remember you and remember your love for classic muscle cars. I was with you in Courage. I hope that you have found someone that you love and loves you for you. Reading this brings up soo many memories. I remember you John! Reading about Josh Lambert is crazy. He was my bunk mate when I first went to courage upstairs in Grizzly. Crazy…
WOW. Let me start by saying I would NEVER send my child(ren) away. I’ve known people who have done it. While I try not to judge others, as I don’t know the particulars of what they’re going through with their kids, I just wouldn’t and couldn’t ever do that and feel that sending your kids away is giving up on them. I cannot imagine the betrayal you kids felt, having your parents trick and abandon you. I don’t care what the reasoning was behind it, keeping something like that a secret and allowing someone to abduct you is absolutely deplorable. I would be surprised if any of you have any kind of contact with your parents. Hopefully they have since realized what a grave mistake they made and have tried to make amends, and hopefully you’ve been able to find it in your troubled, eternally scarred hearts to forgive them.
I found your site after reading a cautionary review on Amazon.com of “Teen Whisperer” by Mike Linderman. I had already downloaded the Kindle version from our local public library’s website and had started reading it. I visited Amazon to see if there was an audio version because it’s hard for me to make time to read, and I am trying to educate myself on different approaches to improving my husband’s and my relationship with our 16 1/2 year-old daughter. She’s a good kid but lies a LOT and hasn’t made passing grades for years, so we are trying help her make better choices for herself and improve her situation, opening doors for her future. We don’t have any specific designs for her, just want her to be happy and graduate high school with her head held high and our relationships intact and healthy. After reading all this, I don’t want to hear any of “Mr. Mike’s” suggestions. He says in his book that he worked there for 10 years. Absolutely NO WAY he didn’t know what went on there; I’m surprised he admitted that in his book (he’s actually proud of it), after reading about all the law suits, suicides, murder, rape, assault, and so on that Spring Creek has been accused of over the years. Maybe he figures we’re too f-ing stupid to look into the people we hope to glean some advice and guidance from. Sorry about your luck, Mr. Mike. I’m on to you. Not another sheep in one of your “workshops”.
I had friends in high school that were taken to places like this and wondered what they went through. IF they came back, they came back even worse off than before and wouldn’t even talk about what happened to them…if they talked AT ALL.
Anyway, I just wanted to drop a note to tell each of you that my heart goes out to you, and I will be praying for you. Please know that God loves you and will forgive anything and everything you did back then or have done since; all you have to do is ask. I am not a Bible-beater, Mormon, Baptist, Catholic, Methodist, or fanatic. I’m just a MOM and a believer, one who loves her children more than life itself and who is even more inspired after hearing your stories to do everything in her power to show her teen daughter love, grace, empathy, forgiveness, and direction, so she can go out into the world with hope, happiness, and unlimited opportunity.
LOVE TO ALL OF YOU.
In all fairness, Mike Linderman was one of the only people affiliated with that program with a college degree, and a decent heart. He helped me get out of there. I don’t know how complicit he was with the Chaffins of the world but I think they kept him on the sidelines. In fact, in order to even speak to Linderman, your parents needed to pay more. The only man in the behavior modification program with the title ‘Psychologist’ and we weren’t allowed to talk to him haha… So telling. In any event guys like Brian Culkins, Cam & Chaff, Duane Smotherman etc. Linderman was not in the same league of evil. Curious that he wrote a book and actually admits to being a wwasp employee. One would think anyone would understand the backlash of that move
Mike was awesome, and from what I know he was not there at the end… I believe he had moved on…but I graduated in 2001… and am nor fully sure. I will say, he is the reason I grew up wantingg to help others.
Destiny family 99 – 01
I just wanted to reach out to the guys I was at the Lodge with. I was there in 97 when there were just a few of us. I was the guy that tried to break out with Jake and Eugene but I didnt make it out the window because Jake made a ton of noise. Please feel free to contact me at keelingkasey@gmail.com
Now one thing begs to question for me. During the program, I remember being told of Wwasps sterling success rate. It’s far in the rear view now and more than success stories, I see shattered spirits and people never able to function. Josh Lambert accused of murdering both of his Grandfathers was in both Paradise Cove and Spring Creek Lodge for years. There have been a disproportionate amount of suicides and other tragedies endured by wwasp detainees. Where is the success? We aren’t all in the same league of damaged as a Josh Lambert, but we carry the scars of a severe and pointless trauma perpetrated by those entrusted with our health and safety.
I don’t blame wwasps directly for some actions taken by wayward former students, but you would think that if these programs were successful in any way, someone who’s parents were dropping hundreds of thousands a year on their kid’s mental health would be at least somewhat stable. To me, the sickness that afflicts the hearts of people like Lambert is a true testament to the snake oil our parents purchased in the name of trying to reach their children. Our parents were victimized by Lichfield and company and some continue to struggle with the after effects of sending their kids off to some dark corner of the world to be ‘changed’. We were all changed in these places to a varying degree, but does anyone really think these places actually helped? I don’t.
I am the only one to ever escape That’s fucked up. I was only 15. It was 1996. I was there for a total of maybe 10 weeks. Your story of me running away and stealing a boat was true but that was my first attempt. Damn that was a long ass run through a dark ass forest Didn’t make it down the hill until sun started coming up. I took off on foot the first time because I could hear a train horn in the distance so I thought I would try to jump on it and go whatever way it took me and I will figure out my next move whenever I got the fuck away from those assholes. When I got to the bottom there was a river that was a 100 yards wide. I thought about jumping in and swimming but it was moving fast so that idea was scratched. There was an aluminum boat somebody had chained up but no paddles so after busting the padlock with a boulder (took about 45 minutes but I finally did it) I went back in the forest and found some branches to use as paddles. Took a minute but finally made it across the river next was a big ass cliff of rocks that elevated the river bank from the train tracks. That was probably the biggest struggle so far was making it up that 10ft wall because it was at a 90 degree angle but I got up it. About an hour goes by waiting on tracks and I hear the horn and get excited. Tell me why this muthafucking train was flying by at about 60 mph. I lived in the San Francisco Bay Area and never saw a train in an unpopulated area. Shit all the trains out here unless commuter are moving slower than I can walk. So after that I just walked out to the street and tried my luck hitchhiking only to be picked up by someone who knew Cameron and his gay ass brother. So I was laying in the back of the pick up with a blanket covering me thinking I got a ride out of there. Surprised when we pulled over to see those twin fags. After sitting in isolation for about 3 weeks I was finally back to my next way out of here. The only friend I made there was an upper level named will from Houston Texas (if he ever sees this I just wanted to thank you my nigga and hope u didn’t get in trouble because of me). He was assigned to be my shadow and he had been there for 13 months or something and was almost out of there but he was still the same person that arrived there just faking it to get out of there. I was telling him how I’m never gonna give up on getting out of there and he helped me come up with a plan. There was 2 of us that actually pulled off the escape and made it all the way to Washington before we split up. He was in Samoa for 22 months his name was josh and he was upper level and was already 18 but he went on a pass and when he confessed that he had sex with his girlfriend ( who he had a 2 year old baby with) and just got dropped back down to level 1. Anyways he could of just walked out of there technically but we shared a bunk and we just waited until the night staff that always falls asleep was there and the staff that was the leader of our cabin (jay bird) I feel so bad because he was the nicest out of all the staff. Long story short i stole his truck and drove to Idaho filled up at a self serve gas station then ditched the truck in Spokane Washington. He called his family first they told him that if he doesn’t go back to program he couldn’t go home. My heart felt empty because the program manipulated his parents. He was only about 15 minute drive from his house also when his dumb ass told his parents where we were so I just said please tell them I dropped u off here and I jumped back in truck and went to a pay phone by air port. Called my mom and told her that I love her and I am safe and don’t want her to worry about me. I will make it to California within the next 2 days. She said she already knew I was gone and she knew about a couple other crimes I did in between to eat and whatever so she was my biggest cheerleader to get home and booked me a plane ticket to get home that was departing in about an hour. Let me tell u that last hour was the craziest shit It was like a movie because I wasn’t gonna get comfortable just sitting around the airport. I went inside one of the bathrooms and locked the stall and stood on top of toilet seat top so u couldn’t see my feet. Luckily it had a speaker in there so it would do last calls for every departure. During that hour Cameron and someone else came in the bathroom looking for me and there was a person in one of the stalls a couple doors down from mine lol. These fools knocked on his door and the guy was like what the fuck do u want in a deep voice and they just apologized said they were looking for one of the students because he is missing and plane is about to take off. I almost didn’t get away because I had a hard time leaving my friend josh there waiting to get picked up. that is the full truth and whole truth about my 2 escape attempts within my 2 months I was there.
I am a parent of a child that I sent to Spring Creek. The reason I sent my child to Spring Creek was because she quit school in her Junior year and was completely disrespectful and running with trouble. We ended up in court and i was trying to find a better place for my daughter than our local system. Honestly I didn’t know what to do with my child. I found the program on line and called a phone number.
The person I spoke with sold me the school. As I read everyone’s comments about their experiences my heart truly aches for all of you. I promised my daughter that I would bring her home as soon as she completed her schooling. I did keep my promise and removed her before she completed the program. I am truly sorry that I sent my daughter there. I have apologized to her but not sure she really forgives me. After I sent her there things began to calm down at our home and I realized how broken our family was and made big changes at home. I also realized that my daughter was reacting to the way our lives were. I wish I had the parenting knowledge I have now before I sent her to Spring Creek.
If my child ever reads this I want her to know that I am sorry. I was in a hopeless situation when she was a teenager and didn’t know how to handle it. I felt desperate and wanted to fix the problem. I also forgive my daughter for her choices/actions that resulted in her stay at Spring Creek.
Attn: Julie
Well I am glad and your daughter should appreciate that you are able to see the fundamental flaws of the programs. So many parents refuse to admit their mistakes and it is extremely frustrating as a former inmate to deal with. My advice when dealing with your daughter on this subject would be to try to sit down and talk to her. Just listen to what she has to say and let her know that you are aware of the treachery of WWASPs as a business and the individuals who received a paycheck from them. She is lucky to have a mother who accepts what happened there. You can’t change the past, but the future is wide open. As a parent, your voice carries weight in the fight against these evil people. If you would participate in our goal of shutting these places down for good, you will be helping your daughter and thousands more like her.
Julie:
From Another “SOLD” Parent
Everything you said X 10
The only thing I would add is that they told me my son would die/commit suicide if I did not get him help from their program. A year later I ran out of money and needed to remove my son from the program. When I called them to make arrangements this is what I was told… “your son will be dead within 3 months of leaving the program early… we accept credit cards.”
Yeah… it’s amazing how every parent got sold the “your kid’s gonna wind up dead” story. They’d even use former Tranquility Bay students to put on the phone where we were made to talk other parents into agreeing to transfer their kids there…into a far worse program than they were already in.
Trust me, I know exactly where you’re coming from. We are from Ohio. My son was facing prison so I felt that I had no choice. We went to Discovery in Seattle and stayed “on board” with the staff. My son never progressed in the levels and he talked about the hobbit but I had no idea how awful it was. I believed that his counselor, Laurie was looking out for him. It’s awful reading the comments.
Anita, I was there with your son. It has been a long time and a lot has happened since then. I remember when he left spring creek. I am not sure what to say, but I thought you should know.
I feel as you do EXACTLY
Hahaha Laurie, that was my counselor. I always felt like she wanted me to fail. She always had that resting b#*!ch face. I’m from Florida so I didn’t go out there with any warm clothes.so I believe my mom sent her like 300 bucks to buy me a jacket. She got me some bright yellow jacket that wasn’t all that warm.. I think it was some off brand. I can garuntee you she didn’t spend all of that money on it. She hated me so much when my mom finally pulled me outta there she didn’t even come to say by. Shows how much she cared lol.
I was in Spring Creek Lodge from 1999- 2000. I was part of the serenity family. Funny name to give considering that serenity was the farthest thing from describing this place. I am very happy to hear that this place is closed, but the memories from what the staff members did to me there will stay forever. Did i have a problem growing up as a child, yes, thats why my grandmother sent me there, however no one helped me. I almost felt like the staff wanted us to continue to fail. I dont know how Chaffin and his brother sleep at night. I hope GOD has mercy on there soul.
Are there any accounts of Chaffin or Cameron molesting kids? I saw both of them beat kids up and both of them gave me the creeps. They both obviously were sadists, and I know that WWASPs employs perverts ( Robert Lichfield himself has even been rumored to be a rapist), but I just got a particular kind of weird feeling about Chaffin especially. It will be interesting to hear what kind of testimonies arise as more and more former detainees speak out. In a perfect world these bastards would be in prison.
What up homie
Chaffin was definitely a creepy dude. I’ll never forget the first time I saw him.
I was in Spring Creek Lodge from 2002 to 2003. Thank God the program is shut down!!! I endured every type of abuse imaginable there…..I hope the families of those who have died from the negligence receive justice!
Myles cee gavon brodnax in the house. Fuck culkins but the one I hate was jeff colby. This marine wiuld loveeeeee to meet up with colby.
Really hated Colby and his Colby-quences.
What can I say about the program. Hmmm….. it was a joke. Attn to all kids that were there after 2000…YOU HAD IT EASY!! They no longer did tbe “gravel pit” or “trail of lights”.and tbey toned down the seminars. 103a nfsd 106e neglect anyone remember any other warnings? Mannn I was so shady at that place. They fuckng made me live in the tpee in the winter for like 2 weeks. It was cool cuz I went n stole the staffs ciggs n got to do whatever I wanted. I have to say I got lucky with family fathers though.msrk clyde and gunner were cool. Thank god I was in wisdom but our cabin was the shittiest. Hey at least big sky had its own washer n dryer lol I hated the box! It sucked when you had to lug that thing around. Heel to toe! Talk about some gay shit lol they said I would amount to nothing!!!!! Yeah I soent time in jail…..but thats what woke me up! I’m now 30 soom to b 31. Did my time in tbe marines and served my country in afgan and irq. Now I have 2 kids a sexy ass wife and am a welder in tbe steelworkers union in pittsburgh pa. Cameron….how much money do you make? Howd you’re junky wife doing who left you cuz she was hooked on speed???? I’m guessing I’m way better off. I didn’t need wwasp to furnish me with a house!!!! I didn’t need to run and hide in bumfuck montana! Do I still have anger issues? You bet you’re asd I do, those anger issued saved lots of lives in “the sandbox”. Try to put me in the hobbit now.
For your info the trail of light still existed after 2000. And boy that is not a fun experience.
I am not even quite sure where to begin when it comes to Spring Creek. I was employed there from 2001-2004. I started out as night staff and then switched over to day staff. It did not take me long to start having issues with some of the rules and treatment that the students were subject to. As a staff member I was discouraged by the facility to form friendships with the girls. It was basically my job to monitor and discipline the students. My job on day shift was “family parent.” Sooo, how can you be a “parent” if you do not have a relationship with your “family.” That was one of the MANY rules that I broke:)
I loved working with the students and trying to help them work through their problems and difficult situations. I admit that there were times (too numerous to count) that I cried on the way home because of the sheer weight of “my girls'” problems that I carried with me. Being a “family parent” was not my job, it was my life. I had considered quitting several times because of the way some of the other staff treated the students. I did not quit because then I couldn’t help anyone if I wasn’t there. I finally did quit in Sept. of 2004, a month before Karlye committed suicide. That still haunts me that maybe if I was there I could have prevented it. Before I left, Karlye and I were working on “goals.” We both made lists and crossed them off as we accomplished them. I still think about her and cry on occasion. I am glad that Spring Creek closed.
Oh shut up. You could have done something like reported the place but you didn’t.
Chaffin Pullan, Mickey (Michele) Manning, Jade Robinson, Jason Finlinson the whole crew are at it again in Utah. They have a program called “Youth Foundation” also doing business as Riverview.
http://www.ksl.com/?nid=960&sid=26248390; Had a staff member showing videos of himself having sex..
I cant even imagine the intolerable conditions with those racist, unethical, monsters!
http://www.utahriverview.com/
They seem to be sold by Masternet Youth Services http://www.masternet.org
The good news is I hear they are having major financial struggles. I have heard that they owe vendors thousands and are on the verge of closure! They apparently have taken very awkward steps to try and stay afloat which unfortunately means poorer quality services for the prisoners.
We are aware of Youth Foundation, and their staff’s seedy past… But I didn’t know they owed so much money. Any idea who these sponsors are? Also, if you wouldn’t mind posting this comment on the Youth Foundation page, more parents would be able to read it before they considered sending their kids to youth foundation success academy. https://wwaspsurvivors.com/youth-foundation-success-academy-youth-foundation-inc/
Walter how did you find all this info out i didnt even know this and i went there haha. Can you give me more info??
http://www.flickr.com/photos/100005874@N05/
Pictures of the Racist Chaffin Pullan! Tell me stories of his comments and behaviors!!!! I don’t believe this was an isolated incident!
Hi out there! I was in the lovely SCL Eternity family 98/99……horrifying! And i played it safe to say the least! I saw some terrifying things there….but i recently stumbled across this site..i guess trying to STILL AT 31 YEARS OLD sort this fucked up time in my life out…I am SO VERY sorry to hear of any rape/molesting…i was FULLY aware of the mind fucking they were doing…i played right on into that to get OUT..i guess i just want to say thank you for sharing all of your stories! And its great to see familiar names! (john H, Myles, Eugene..etc) what a trip 🙂 ANd all of your stories are hauntingly familiar….times and memories i had locked up deep down to forget about… i mean what good did “gravel pit” do? Did yall REEEEALLY need that 15 foot high pile of rocks moved to left ten feet? Oh you did..great glad all of us underage minors could help you out with that at 3 am in the rain….our pleasure
Jessica !! Hey its lori sherman!! Rem me? Eternity 1998!! My married name is lori kinder. I would love to chat with you!!! Lorikinder24@gmail.com. if u are ever on this site again
Johnkharrigal@gmail.com
Yes I’m 52 and was at spring creek in 83-84 I still to this day have PTSD nightmares and an not on speaking terms with my family. To past survives be well and good luck 🍀
Wow, 4 or 5 years before I was there. Legendary status Bob – I hope you can finally stop having those nightmares buddy! It’ll always be behind you sir, leave it back there for the occasional kicking when it dares to interrupt your sleep
Last week during the Youth Foundation parent/child seminar, Chaffin Pullan (who is the new director since Jade Robinson resigned) mentioned taking the kids to Riverview in Montana. They have been evicted from the La Verkin properties by Robert Lichfield (Optimum Billing Services).
They are trying to lease the old Diamond Ranch property, but it seems that they are broke. They are trying to rename their “program” and re-vamp it (yeah, right- lipstick on a pig IMO).
These parents who allow their children to stay in these abusive, disreputable “programs” should be ashamed in my opinion as these facilities are child abuse by proxy. Even after the loss of multiple lawsuits, news reports outlining the abuse and new lawsuits filed regularly, they turn a blind eye to hide the children that they broke using the guise of helping them.
I hope that Montana is more caring of these youth than Utah has been.
I was there from 99-2000 and I was in the Serenity Family – Amy was my house mother. The 3 day seminars way in the back of the woods is something that i will never forget. I hope Chaffin and Cameron get what they deserve. This place was hell.
Stephanie i was also in serenity in 99 but later after failed attempts by staff to force me to move up in levels like 3allstar i was transferred to the new family destiny they built above the junior staff cabins. I remember my stay thers like it was yestetday. I made some life long friends. I was in mike lindermans adoption group. I remember not getting propper shoes or even my shoe laces during winter cause of a prior wilderness program i was in they claimed i could run n survive in the woods. As a result frostbite. Also the hobbit what a joke i had locked myswlf in the porta potty cause i didnt wanna go back in. They put a hose through the top an turned it on… then knoxked over the porta potty. I have nightmares of the gravel pit an other bullshyt i had to endure.
Megan, do you remember me? Chelsie also Destiny from 99 to 01. I am amazed at how I have blocked so much out.
I think I remember Megan. Chelsie, you are right about not remembering everything clearly. I am so surprised even now seeing the names of the girls from Serenity that I don’t remember them. When not even the names of the people I lived with for 2.5 years ring a bell, then I am scared for what I still cannot remember. I am going to be 34 soon and my PTSD is only getting stronger. High Impact in Mexico definitely did not help and my only reward for graduating that boot camp in Mexico is getting sent back to Spring Creek Lodge until I left at 18.
My name is ERic Rios, i was there from 2001 2002 I was in respect family, I recall the day I went in October 3, 2001 and the day I left April 21, 2002, Anyone remember Tinkerbell the big black guy with cold teet????? Or Jeff Manzanares badass staff member?? I’m not gonna say it was the worst time of my life, but it was… after all I did learn some stuff I used today, How to read people, use the word manipulation!!!! I have to say is “Staff that Shit”, I was in Orange County boy from California, you do the math, as a say in the program I hate myself… Now people are doing the seminars out here, I heard that Rapper Earl sweatshirt went to the Samoa Program, crazy!! It’s been 13 years, I am not mad, it’s was just a chapter of my life, “i am Instrument of God with a loving spirit” ,
Hey. I remember jeff. Family father of excel. Or was it respect. Excel was next door to you guys. I was there may 2001 to april 2002. We use to watch movies with u guys on sundays.
Hey I was in respect family wasn’t u the short Peru Rican cat I was the only Asian kid there lol man it’s crazy times I barley remember but have thoughts about every blue moon wish I could link up with some of my boys from in there Jason McDermott where u at boy
An what’s good bro..hope I hear back from u..James matica saw this and got ahold of me…hope ur doing well bro..I’m doen..hit me up on here or email bro
I remember u from the swing dance pep rally I think….
Hey I was scl same time and from Orange County ca. I think I met you in a seminar where they made us stick stickers on boys and made us think about all the times the opposite sex screwed us over? What a creep show those seminars were. I remember they would humiliate people individually I front of everyone bring up serious issues like rape and abuse infront of everyone. Public humiliation and reliving trauma seemed to be their weapon in manipulation. The counselor I was manated to see one time because I was new at the time told me about crazy mushroom picking he did with his girlfriend and started touching my legs and shit. I told my mom I didn’t want to see the counselor again and thank God they didn’t make me go back. Did any girl ever have anything similar happen to them? Also Veronica from destiny if you find this please email me! You truly were my only friend j could trust there. I tried finding you when j got out but couldn’t. Bamandah@gmail.com
E that’s just his name and he cant hang you got to get out the game!!!! Oh oh . Yeah thank god we made it out that shit hole. I was in respect with you bro. Hows life.
Eric Rios!! What up buddy! I was in respect with you. Remember ?
Hit me up shelbymorgan47@yahoo.com
I was also in spring creek lodge back in 97 for 6 weeks. I successfully escaped from that place by stealing a workers truck in middle of night and driving to Spokane Washington and from there I got on a train to san francisco bay area in California. It was quite an adventure. Sorry to hear that these places lasted so long
Lol I remember that….good shit
Hey there! I was in springcreek from 1999 to 2000 … I was in “innocence” … until they ripped that “family” apart cuz of behaivior issues and then I went to “serenity” … was anyone else there during those times?
I was in Innocence at that time. I remember getting moved downstairs, but could not remember why.
Jenna – did u get in trouble for “note passing” with a jr.staff ? I vaguely remember that if that is you. I remember an older Mexican girl named Claudia, ilianna, holly poe, marybeth… those are some of the names from “innocence” that stick.out
I was in innocence in 99. I remember Jenna, illiona,Jennifer My madanname Wilson. I was good friends with Jenna. Message me jamie_wilson_@msn.com
I was in Serenity from 1999-2002. My name is Lindsay and I am from Paso Robles, California. If anyone from Serenity during that time would like to reach out you may text or call me 805-423-7174. Seeing as how we were not allowed to exchange personal contact information during our time there.
My god it’s insane to see the talk to this day continue. I’m happy to see kids still fighting. I was there 06-07 when I was transferred to Jamaica. The trap these schools played was flawless to say the least, I’ve actually kicked it with some kids afterwards and it is amazing to think people this successful in some cases had to do something so horrid. To those who had more trouble re-adjusting back to life, I fully understand. What is their to do to be active in lawsuits? Anyone who remembers me should get at me on facebook. Colton Stoneman.
I was in SCL for 22 months from 2001 to 2003. After about a year I got tired of not being able to have salt on my nasty eggs. So I began to wkrk my way out. I graduated the program a level 6 and was trainer of the boys off site house. Lets just say I had to play the game to get my life back. This place was a crock. Lies and more lies. Parents if you are reading these claims please listen. Your kids likely do not need to be shipped off to get help. I was sent away because I was a less than desirable child to have in your home. In and out of juvi, drugs, steeling etc. So yes I was a pain im sure. What people didnt see was my home life. Alcoholic step father, beaten often, brainwashed and belittled etc. I ran away and did most of the things I did to survive and forget my life. So as unaccountable as it is, was not all my fault. I did make my decisions. And for that I am accountable. But if you think its all your child that has the issues. Think again. Take a good hard look at the situation. More than likely there are some things that you can do or change to help the situation. Places like this do not help kids. Its jail you pay for. Im not trying to condemn anyone. I know being a parent is challenging. But shipping a child away is no option. Most of the allegations the other people are speaking of I can say for sure are true. I witnessed many myself. And as trainer I nearly became corrupt as the staff at first. I really had to work to stay myself and not be brainwashed. But I made it out alive. And my heart goes out to anyone who didnt. I am glad this facility closed. And I will end with this. Dont give up on your kids. They need you!
Thank you all for keeping this info flowing.
I was in Spring Creek back when they first opened up in 96 97 when there was only 2 cabins. I don’t remember alot of people’s names from then but I do remember jay and Eugene and gabe. My name is danny I was the big guy that got sent there after military school. Dhuston614@gmail if anyone wants to talk to me from bAck then. I would like to hear from you guys that were there in the beginning like I was. When it was more like an experiment on kids.All the mind screwing and torture that we went through. I never got sexually assaulted and am sad to hear that it happened but they definitely made me as miserable as they could when I was there. I couldn’t get my grandparents to believe any of this was happening but there is now proof. I can remember them taking all my clothes when I got there and not giving them back. They said it was part of my image or something like that. They made me burn all of my cothes so I had nothing. I remember the song time after time. That place has haunted me for years.I was there about three months when the first of the girls began to arrive they would make us lay on the ground and put our face in our hands so we couldn’t look at them.I remember the pit, the hobbit and all the bullshit we had to go through. I can’t believe the place made it that long.I feel bad for any kid that had to go there. I have so many stories from what went on there but not enough time or space here lol. Anyone who might remember me can email me I would love to hear from you all.
Cameron had a running tab at the local bars. He would take the senior staff out and they’d all get drunk. We used to call SCA the “Kiddie Farm” It was sad. Most of the townspeople didn’t like it, other than they, SCA, dumped a ton of money in town.
Hey, I remember Danny, Gabe, Eugene, and several others…I was part of the first group (the Genesis family) in January 1996. I even slept on the floor inside what became the “Hungry Horse” cafeteria, on the floor by that old stove with the wolf dog Lakota hangin’ out there. The first chef, Dan, had apparently domesticated her but I’m not 100% sure if that’s fact. I think, Danny, I remember you. The only staff member that I think most of us respected was “Papa” Mike, because he was a descent guy. I think him and his wife lived in an old converted school bus somewhere outside of town. I remember him singing “Good morning, good morning, it’s time to get up or it’s a warning.” At least, he was the most unlike the other staff members like the cowboy with the mustache who was obsessed with his walkie talkie (that guy was so weird), or Rusty and his older brother — strange people, clearly not qualified to help kids.
I think I remember Eugene because he had a hearing aid that he used to let me wear for fun, and he was an awesome kid from California, too. He even gave me his T-shirt when I left at the end of ’96…it was a Petaluma shirt. That was Eugene, or am I trippin’?
That place haunts me to this day. True, I did make a few friends there, but the creepy and psychologically fraudulent aspects of those weird seminars and “inner child” bullshit were actually traumatizing! Zach was my friend…and I was sad to hear he passed away of a heroin overdose. His mom is a wonderful lady, and she’s done a lot of positive educational and volunteer work in Zach’s memory. I’ll never forget Zach. He was an instant friend.
TJ was a good friend of mine, too — the guy with Cystic Fibrosis who was always doing breathing treatments…we stayed friends afterwards…even went to a concert in Vegas years later…but, sadly, his illness overcame him a few years ago and he passed away. He fought up until the end, kept his sense of humor throughout…even when he needed a double lung transplant. He was a good friend. A lot of his sarcasm actually helped me get through the insanity we had to experience there.
I do remember a lot of negative things about that place, starting with abuse at Brightway in Utah. I remember a big Samoan guy stealing my clothes (never got them back), stealing the Mountain Dew can I got for Christmas, and hitting me and slapping me to wake me up in the middle of the night, telling me walk without shoes into a van outside in the snow, to be driven to Montana from Utah. At Spring Creek, I remember doing grass drills in the rain, clearing a forest of trees with about 20 kids, shoveling snow for hours, kids crying when forced to run never-ending laps around the basketball court until some even collapsed, the essay “pit” where many were forced to spend hours or even days listening to motivational tapes, the “Hobbit” cabin in its’ infancy…and those horrible stories of kids who were kept there in isolation, etc. The list goes on. Horror stories from the incoming junior staff from Samoa…one guy said they locked him a trunk and floated him at sea, then threw rocks at the trunk while he was inside of it. Yes, Gabe, I remember having to wear only flimsy brown slippers and boxer shorts and walking that way outside while it was snowing. Kids were shivering cold, teeth chattering. Punishments were abnormal and out of place. All of the outgoing letters were pre-read by staff, so anything defamatory or heavy on complaining was not allowed to be mailed out. I sort of learned how to play the game in my own way, but my friends had a much harder time than I did, I think.
This is the kind of shit people don’t make up. This was real, and I’m here to validate these claims.
I’m relieved to know this place was shut down. I’m relieved to know it’s in my rear view mirror, but even though it was 20 years ago it still seems like not that long ago. It’s crazy…I’m 34 now…and still, I remember these things. These images of that place in my mind…like a bad dream. But I try and find the good things. My Dad had lied to me…he said I was going to music school and then surprise: I got abducted by two Samoan guys in an airport in Reno, and I had no idea what was happening or where I was headed. It felt like an abduction. It was scary. I was 15. Some kids that I knew stayed for years. I stayed for 1 year. Truthfully, I manipulated my way home, and I’m proud of myself for doing it. I played the game. I knew if I didn’t that I’d never get out, so I think I got to level 4 before, with a rare phone “privilege” because my uncle had died in Iowa, and I tried to convince my Dad to let me go to the funeral…which I ended up not going to after all was said and done, but it did give me chance to convince my Dad I was doing well and ready to go back to normal high school starting after the winter break. He agreed, and I got out by the start of ’97.
The guy who conducted those warped seminars…David Gilcrease was his name, I think…he scared me. What a horrible person. The bullshit that came out of his mouth was alarming. I remember that I knew I had to pass that seminar, and in order to do it I actually spit my saliva out and onto the floor, and then I rubbed my face into it, getting it into and around my eyes so that I could convincingly pretend I was crying so that he’d be convinced I had “found my magical child”…which was total bullshit. It sound crazier even now, thinking about it as a grown man. I just can’t imagine putting my child in an environment like that.
Does anyone remember the kid who ran away and defecated on the mailbox? He slit his wrists if I remember, but survived. There was a kid there who swallowed bleach, too, I think.
Other than the wolf dog and the couple of friends I made, that place was a nightmare.
Wish you guys all well in life. Much love and support.
I am looking for anyone who was at SCL in 2005. I was in Charity. I was going to write on hear about my horrible experience here but it looks like everyone else hit it right on the head. I was unaware that a website like this existed until a girlfriend of mine told me about it. I repressed memories about my transport and time at SCL for years. I couldn’t speak of it in detail until a few years ago. I still have nightmares where I get sent there and am telling them I’m too old to be there but they don’t let me go, my parents are still telling me I can’t come home. Sounds like I never got my resolution from being in this place. My heart goes out to all the rest of you who went. The worst part is these programs go on operating, get shut down and reopen in new locations with different names and the world just lives on, completely oblivious that hell holes such as these really exist. I remember first telling my husband about it. I never saw the man so quiet and he just looked at me in horror and disbelief at the things I told him. I hope karma reaches the people behind the evil operations of these facilities.
tara I remember you I was in charity too.
I was transferred to Charity in 2005 from Innocence for a short time! I struggle to open up all of the memories but they have started flooding back over the last few years!
I don’t know if anyone still checks this site but if so, please let me know if you were in Charity in 2005. I feel so lonely in these memories and trauma and talking to someone who went through it might help. Sending everyone love and healing from all this awful shit.
I have those same dreams. That I’m too old to go, but still end up there. I try getting out, then I wake up.
I was there 15 years ago. Started at spring creek, then to the ranch, then Jamaica.
Sorry Harrigal, I meant Atwood…hope you see the post above. If you don’t…make sure you self correct? 😉 Anyway…I truly am proud of you man. Nobody can say you haven’t done well. And anger issues?! Yeah they kinda encouraged that in our ‘special cases’ didn’t they…
Danny and Gabe,
remember ‘true colors’ playing every five minutes. They would work everyone into a frenzy with some hypothetical horror show and play that song and have someone come around and nance around everyone in some contrived attempt to elicit some false sense of security and happiness within the program. I like Cyndi Lauper… ‘Time after time’ makes me think of good times, but still can’t pass ‘true colors’ on the radio without thinking of seminars and Cat 2’s. It amazes me that I even still remember this shit. Everyone in life has a battle or two in life…we were mostly all troubled kids… Wwasps may not even be as evil as they seem to be at a glance or gaze, but just a bunch of misguided idiots without any qualifications to be in charge of children. We were children…in the care of at worst morally bankrupt and at best absolutely stupid people. Either way it is a system that has been proven to be not only flawed, but negligently foolish. They are so dug in though and know the rules of ‘the game’ (politics) that those who oppose them can do little but shake their fist at the wind. So in the name of reason and Christmas, I ask that those who work for, are involved with, or profit off of any of the places run now by the usual crowd…do the right thing…give the parents what they think they are paying for, or close. Improve or just stop. It all starts with hiring people qualified to care for kids.
any spring creek lodge people have any luck getting their transcripts?? Went there from 2003-2004. Need it asap for a job let me know if anyones had any luck.
My daughter Shelby was there and graduated in 2007. She just went through trying to get her transcripts with no luck. She researched, found names of higher up people, but at the end of the day they are gone. She’s going back to school and when she talked to a counselor found out she didn’t need them.
I graduated in 2007 and looking on how to get mine too?
Chavez I remember u. I came into excel just as u were leaving Moises n big mike
I was there in 2002
My boyfriend (at that time) got sent there in 1999. Was there until 2001. We didn’t stay too close after he came back. I tried for years but he was never the same person he was when he left there. I remember the pain I felt when the letters started saying he liked it there and the place was where he belonged. I didn’t believe it. Now that I know he had to say that stuff I hate these people for betraying what we were trying SO hard to hold onto. He never talks about what happened there. He acts like it didn’t even happen. He just…shuts down. He is worse off now than he EVER was going in. My heart goes out to all of you who experienced this place. I hate it even exists. it ruined years of my life just by being a part of the pain, distance, etc my boyfriend went through. And I KNOW it ruined his.
I was there 2007. I was at the Camas ranch 18+. They moved us to Thomas Creek by the old 18+ girls facility and me and another kid John escaped. We went on a work trip to some town kind of near by and we ran from there to a greyhound and had a girlfriend by us tickets to vegas. We didn’t steal a car that was a rumor they made up. He was from cali and on probation (my running partner) and I live in ft lauderdale florida so he left me in vegas. Still haven’t heard from him love to find him one day he was a good partner. We are the only 2 people to successfully escape from spring creek or Camas ranch. I am proud of that and still remember my times there. Just wanted to share get back to me
Was there in 07 as well
Was there march 31 2002 – july 1, 2004. Honor family. Punched Cliff in his fuckin face. YEAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!! WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH!!!!!!!!!!!!! IT FELT GOOOOOOOOOOOOOD!!!!!!!!!!!! Until I got stampeded by junior staff. Remember that tall guy with the flat top and big ass boots that went up to his knees. Real deep voice. I think his name was Danny. Maybe not though. Either way he was a genuinely good man. He got fired for letting a kid change a tire on a car. Hope he’s doing well. Justin Harris playing his guitar at night when they dimmed the lights definitely made you appreciate the little things. Kids trying to kill themselves left and right. So many memories of that shit hole I could go on for hours if not days. I had plain oatmeal coming out of my fuckin ears by the time I left. Biscuits and gravy were all the rave until you had it a million and 1 times. And WORKSHEETS!!!!!!!! Remember going in there the first time and going “Where the fucks the worksheet at”?!!! No worksheet, just a wooden cubicle to waste away in while a junior staff crunches on Cheetos and tells you to not turn around in your seat. My ass is still sore. Don’t get me started with “special needs”. Not the place to be if you wanted a good nights rest. Anyways Ive ranted enough. Take care Spring Creek veterans. And where was this spring creek at anyways?! I remember a shitty little pond we would visit maybe once a year. Bye.
yours might be my favorite comment on here lol i totally relate
Nick I think I remember you i.was.in honor around the same time do remember the fight with dignity
When were you there Jimmy. I watched a lot of people come and go my 27 months there. Don’t remember fight with dignity. They were housed opposite side of honor right? Its been almost 11 years since I left that place so my memories kinda foggy. Take care.
Nick I was there the same time. I was in Dignity, and I remember a lot of shit that happened there. We had one guy named Joey that beat the hell out of a kid or a staff memeber with the metal tub from the vacuum cleaner one night. He ended up being sent to Jamaica. I remember worksheets. And yes my ass still hurts from sitting on those stupid wooden boxes they had for seats in there at the cubicles. It seemed like at one point our group was running through staff memebers weekly. There are a few things I remember, but most of it I do my best to block out. I remember the seminars we had to go to. I fought it at first because I saw how ridiculous it was. But when I quickly realized that wasn’t going to work I “played the game” so to speak so I could get what I wanted, which was go home. I left late summer of 2003 when I was 17. Do you remember if you made level 3 all-stars they would let you make a phone call once a month or something like that, but told you what you could and could not say, and they would talk to your parents before hand as to what could and could not be discussed. That the worst time of my life.
what up david. the only time i tried voting up for 3 all stars i fucked up. there was this junior staff who worked my family that day. we cussed like sailors and talked like we werent even in the program. figured he was one of the good guys. man was i wrong. later that night when i went to go vote up he was one of the junior staff that stood up and didnt support me voting up. well that just didnt sit well with me since me and that guy had just shop-talked the day away. so i through a big old cussin fit aimed at the chicken shit color changin junior staff and then got thrown out by junior staff staff mike i think his name was. had a crazy brother matt that ran honor for a while. that dude was a mess. he said he was an ex alcholic and talk about bringing home to work with you. he would throw big crazy fits. it was hilarious but annoying. he would just gripe and gripe and poor me and SHUT THE FUCK UP! what a buncha suckers our parents are for dishing out the cash they did. place was ran by a couple fat ass twins. buncha rednecks we’d call family fathers. isnt it funny how some guy would be support staff one day and then hes your teacher the next day. that shit was awesome. in a week and half hes your therapist. looking back the place cracks me up. but there aint no 2 ways about it. if you were sitting on lower levels for a couple years like i was YOU WERE DOING TIME. anyone who says that shit didnt suck is a lyin son of a bitch. it was as boring as boring can be. but it was better than being a fake ass cheesy junior staff wasnt it. im nick s by the way
I was in quest the night that kid beat the shit out of night staff and tried to escape. It was my first or second week there. Fucking wild. Memories of my bunk mate losing his fucking mind and trying to kill himself. “Support Staff” beating the shit out of teenagers and jr staff getting thier jollys off fucking with lower levels. 2002 to 2003. I kept my mouth shut, played their game, and got the fuck out. Shit i remember when they had the riot at one of the out of country locations and they shipped a bunch of students to SCL. I was the one that figured out how to cheat the pilot school program and finished with college prep classes. Black cloud for 2 weeks before PC3 for that little stunt. Chaffin nor Dana didnt have the balls to drop me from lvl 6 when they found out about the rampant cheat in their “successful” school program. Forgot his name but one dude was sleeping with a female staff member and everyone in the offsite house had their PC3 pushed back 2 months with black cloud cause they didnt rat him out. All the fake relationships to get thru accountability.
My name is a Nick Theriault. Do you remember me?
Does anybody remember Dino?
My name is Jessica I was in Serenity feoom 2003 to 2004. I was with Karley when we got in trouble while cleaning the guest cabin. We used the phone in there and when they got the phone bill we were caught. I didnt care because I was going home, my ticket was already bought but she had to stay behind. I had no idea until a little while ago that any of this had happened. It was miserable there. .. my heart breaks that she felt no way out but she didn’t have a way out. 18 was far away for her, her parents had been brain washed by then and we had both dropped from level 4 to 0000 black cloud status…. if anyone out there remebers me email me I would like to hook up with some of you guys…. jgraham2862@gmail.com
Thank you Jessica. I’m sad to hear about Karley and how she felt before her death. It truly breaks my heart that these programs have had that kind of power, to drive children into such sorrow that they see no way out. I know I felt it… and I wouldn’t wish that on anyone. If you are looking to reconnect, please join our facebook group: http://www.facebook.com/groups/wwaspsurvivors We have quite a few SCL survivors there 🙂
Hey, wasn’t there in 2003. I was there all of 2002. I feel for anyone who had to experience that place. It was horrible. If u ever need someone to talk to I’d be more than willing to listen. Tc excel family
Jessica, I think I remember you…. What was Karley’s last name? I hope it’s not who I think it is. I’m sorry it happened to anybody….
Jessica I emailed you and I never got anything back. Johnkharrigal@gmail.com.
does anyone know what happened to school transcripts? im trying to attend college and need my school transcripts from here and any help would be appreciated
and yes im aware they were shut down. thus the difficulty.
thanks for your help
You have to contact the Montana stae board of education and work backwards from there it is a shit show.
Hello Fellow Survivors,
I am writing a book about WWASP, their people and practices, past student experiences and abuse, and more. I am looking for a few survivors to share their stories with me and help me contribute. You can do this anonymously if you choose. Please contact me at howiseetheworldblog@gmail.com
Thank you,
Kay
I was in the hobbit over thanksgiving and also around christmas of the year 2000. I could go on and on about how ridiculously abusive and absurd the conditions were. But I don’t want to waste your time. I’ll just say this. Some parents came during a tour and looked at us in ‘special needs’, it happened a couple times while I was in there. As well as the ‘therapists’ and staff. But nobody seemed to raise an eyebrow or voice concern that locking young teens in a barred cell in a shack for days, and weeks at a time. It was like living in bizarro world. I try to get this place out of my mind, but I can’t. It was just too surreal, and fucked up. Don’t even get me started on the seminars. I feel like I need to go back and plant a tree, or something, for all the innocence lost on those beautiful Montana grounds.
This says it nicely but a forest needs to be planted.
lately I have been finding a lot of these comments about the old wwasp programs and I find it great that we can all now come back in to touch with people from this time!!! I was in spring creek from 98-00 courage family!!
Like practically all of you I was sent to Spring Creek Lodge when I was very young, during an already crucially, incredibly horrific time in my life. Spent almost every day I was there in the hobbit. I’m really trying to find a Trauma and PTSD therapist right now possibly a psych who is already educated on Spring Creek / WWASP. I live in Seattle, WA I’m wondering if anyone might possibly, serendipitously know of a good psychologist in the Seattle area, I would be eternally grateful –
Mad respect always
Alex
Oh I remember you all to well. It was almost daily that you were in the hobbit. We were in the same family.
I was curious, is this the same place that is mentioned in Mike Linderman’s book, “The Teen Whisperer” ?? I haven’t found his name anywhere here, but I haven’t researched it much either. Anyway, I just started his book because I have a little cousin we’ll call “D” – he is 11 years old and showing signs of being a sociopath. His mom works 2 jobs, goes to college full time and cares for her two boys D and J. I definitely don’t want to recommend a boys camp if this is the type of treatment he will get!
Mike Linderman was one of the therapists who worked at SCL. I was there from 2001-2003
Mike was my therapist for over 2 years. I just heard about his book and I am curious to know what has been said.
I was there from like Nov 2001 to July 2002 in “Innocence”. So many bad memories. I hated that place. As soon as my parents came up for one of the seminars, they were like “I think even your little rep person “Ms Kathy” is spun out of her mind”. Not to mention whats his name who ran the seminars… that guy was a damn psycho. and SHARING, WTF is SHARING?? I’m sorry but only so much stuff bothers me, then it’s like well you dont’ share, you have to share, so then i’m making up shit to SHARE about. That place made me worse off than I was. Yes, I was 16, doing some recreational drug use, maybe a little overboard with the speed, esp so young but whatever,but when i got out i moved out of my parents house, bounced around, no real address for a few years, and was mainlining by the time i was 18. after getting in some trouble, i got out of all of that. i’m no saint by any standards, but the hell that was spring creek definitely left it’s dark mark on my soul. i did meet some other victims of this place that I love to pieces and some are on my facebook. i can’t find a some others tho, so if you remember me, Janna Bottsford, hit me up on FB. I’m a little hidden so it might be hard to find me.
http://chaffinpullanismarvelous.weebly.com/
this is what his daughters made for him… but reading it def makes me think he made it for himself!!
My boyfriend was in Spring Creek Lodge for 10 months in 96 and 97. It was only once we found this website that he felt like anyone would really believe him. I have been helping him put together his story if anyone remembers Brian McLaren from 96 and 97 and would be willing to share what they remember please help me help him. Thank you. maggie.bidwell@gmail.com
I am trying to help my boyfriend piece together the story of his time at Spring Creek Lodge. He was there for 10 months 1996-1997. If anyone Remembers Brian McLaren and wouldn’t mind telling me what you remember of him or of the time span he was there it would be most helpful.Thanks. maggie.bidwell@gmail.com
I was at Spring Creek Lodge Academy from March 2001 till May 2003. I started in a lower-level family that I can’t remember the name for the life of me, Integrity maybe? I was switch after maybe 1 day, if my memory serves me correct to Dignity. I was a month from turning 18 and got put in the 18Year program pretty quickly, I think the staff (and my parents) realized they needed a way to keep me there while I was 18 and after. I lived in the 18 trailer for a good bit of the entire program and also spent a few months living in the upper level cabins just off campus. Many of the staff and fellow students came to know me as “Cook” or “Cooker”. Matt Rumple is actually the guy who asked me if I “cook well under pressure” and that was the birth of my email addy to this day PressureCooker 🙂 . My friends were Jeremy Witmer, Thom Carhart, Mike DeAlba, Eric Henderson, Chris Gueiterz (i totally spelled that wrong), Travis Hanson, James Westlund, James Boatright, Chris Miller, Jim Oetter and many others whose names escape me. My upper level family was Inspiration with Miss Amy. I do not have a single complaint about Spring Creek Lodge to this day and its unfortunate that many of you have a different story to tell. This program truly DID open my eyes to how FOOLISH and STUPID i was acting as a teenager. Now, i’m a 30 year old man….31 in 2 months and to this day (13 years later) I plan to go back and visit. I would love to see much of the staff I remember, Mike Needham, Mike Tarry, Dan (the former Marine), Miss Lee, Mr. Donaldson, Miss Amy and again many others whose names not remembered but faces well known….I was there for the Bigfoot (Red) vs Bear (Blue) months. I was there for the Upper level “Prom” which I was fortunate enough to dance with a very attractive (and I think even taller than me) blonde. I remember the weekly store trips, I remember working the kitchen, I remember facility lockdown because of bear sightings, I remember shouting “RUNNER” when I tried to get the attention of a yellow-vested ‘runner’ whose job was to transport students to locations. Ha! To this day I’m shocked I wasn’t tackled after shouting that! I remember level 3+ (All Star), 4, 5 and 6 activities….pop, candy, movies…and girls that us guys couldn’t talk to. I remember 18 year old activities to Mizzula, MT to the King Buffet and a movie afterwards. I remember 18 year old activities going to the local grocery and Every one of us buying a fat steak and watching a movie in the trailer. I remember running after at least 3 Runners, pssssh I didn’t care if they got away, 99% of us were in it for the dinner in town as a ‘thank you’. All this being said, I DO want to visit someday. I hope someone…..anyone remembers me. I won’t say I want to visit for closure because like previously stated my experience helped me, it did not harm me. To anyone who would like to reconnect with me or even just have another Spring Creek friend….I’m at pressurecooker19@hotmail.com. Id love to find more of you and preferably more optimistic but I fully understand if bad experiences happened. Anyways,
Why would you voluntarily stay there once you turned 18? Was there some loop hole where they forced you to stay? I thought you were an adult once you turned 18 the last time I checked. I’m pretty sure you could have ate steak and went to the movies on your own free will whenever you wanted in the free world… I’m a lil dumbfounded by your explanation of this place. The only thing that I can think of that made it better on you that was that were there as a adult and they knew you could legally leave on your own. So they probably catered to your needs more by giving you your own trailer and giving you more perks to keep collecting your parents money. This is the shit that bugged me out about this place you had kids trying to be super cops to other kids. Hey bro I’m juinor staff I’m going to chase after you if you run. Why? I’m not really sure Why other then I get to eat some extra food and go watch a movie for a reward, because that’s what they tell me to do. When I could be doing all of these things on my own free will in my home town! I’m dumb founded why anyone in there right mind would stay at this place voluntarily. I’m glad you got so much outta of this place bro. I’m sure your one of the few. What pisses me off the most is for the money are families were forking out for this joke of a place is if They truly had people that came from troubled backgrounds and got through there battles in life that knew how to relate to us and actually would of put that money to good use by actually taking us to do productive activities that are designed to build confidence, self-esteem, coping skills,ect,ect by group hikes, snowboarding trips, base ball games,flag football games, mountain biking, relay races I could go on and on. some life skills courses, trade courses. Woodworking, welding, cosmetology for females barbershop courses. Mixed in with your school work. Some one on one mentorships while your walking those beautiful grounds. They could have structured a program that actually helped the majority of the kids there… Instead they were a cash grab desensitized werdio group of muppeteers that used some weird ass point/level system off of bizarre seminar’s for days on end where you had to do shit that if you walked up to anyone in there right mind would tell you you’re nuts if you participate in something like that. In fact when my stepdad,mom,and brother went to there’s in Miami. They wanted my stepdad to shave his legs and dress as a female. They kicked my brother out because he refused to participate in any of that whacked out shit lol… So on top of the seminar’s you had monogenesis daily wake up bell 5 minute shit shower and shave for 20 bunks if they didn’t shower the night before get ready line up dick to butt in silence. Walk to the chow hall heel to toe don’t move your head to the right of left or your Jr. Staff is going to write you up saying you were trying to look at females and lose those points. Then your going to eat generic count chocula cereal or some bland ass oatmeal without butter or sugar if you’re not a level two. Then your going to go do a lame workout on the court that part I didn’t mind because at least I was outside doing something active. Then your going to get back to dick to butt and walk heel toe back to your family dorm to sit kuymbya in a circle with your family father and family counselor to read some shit you learned from the day before. Which was nothing because you did the same shit everyday. I believe this is why everything starts to become a blurr after a while. Then after the kuymbya gathering of reading your paper you repeat the lining up the heel toe the no talking to go to class. After that is lunch then back to class then a hour of time on the court. I can’t remember if we did that every day or not but that’s when I played basketball and would drink out of this spring fed faucet that was always surrounded by bee’s which tripped me out because they would never sting you.then back to class. Then dinner I think then back to your dorm for quiet time for a little bit. Then back to class one more time then back to your dorm for the night and you would get a muffin for a snack. Either bland, banana nut, or blueberry. That was the highlight of my day.meanwhile all of this is heel to toe no talking ECT ECT. And that’s what you did day in and day out. Oh and if you struggle with school work good luck. Because your pretty much teaching yourself. So if you Excel in school it’s probably going to work out for you. But if you struggle like I did that part alone is going to make your stay there miserable for days to months to years. So needless to say I stayed on level 1 my whole time. I would ask to go to the Hobbit every time a seminar came up. If they wouldn’t take me I would do something stupid to go. Other than that I would just go through the motions and try not to cause any trouble so I wouldn’t ruin anything for my family but I wasn’t going to conform to there weird process at the same time. Shout out to unity family in 99 and 2000, to both Patrick S. Patrick M Mike C and Mike R My bunkie Jimmy, big Greg from Virginia while he was in Unity, Andy from Alaska, break dancer Kevin, Karl from Wisconsin, there was another guy that skateboarded I can’t remember his name it might of been Mikey. Jay I’m glad that place worked out for you. I don’t understand it.
You fuckers were the worst! Making sure to give out cat 3 violations to keep the numbers down on the 18+ trips to town. Fucking preying on everyone else cause the staff gave you a little bone. I didnt remember you but that friends group you mention put you right in the i fucked with everyone because i felt superior and the staff rewarded yall. Fucking disgusting. No wonder you enjoyed your time there.
I was in spring creek lodge academy for feb 2005 till August 17 2007 lower levels i was in charity upper levels i was in hope family
I was there in 2004 in eternity family. I was there a short time and left two months before my 16th birthday. I hated it there. I met some awesome people that made it a tiny bit easier.. I hope you all are doing okay. I’m so glad this place closed down.
I was there when karylie commited suiside it was a crazy time ! I learned a lot but I do not agree on how thing were runned there and i still wonder and hope they don’t re open !
I was there in 1995. I was forced to help build where most of you lived. If you were there with me or know anyone from that time; staff or student, contact me. Just looking for pictures and memories good and bad. bhmendenhall1@yahoo.com
Wow, pretty crazy to come across this site. I simply went looking for updates on Spring Creek and was shocked to find this.
My name is Scott Swayze and I was in Spring Creek Lodge from 1996 until October 1998. I came into the program at age 16 and was there until just before my 18th birthday. Technically I even graduated High School from Spring Creek. Like most I was heading down a rough path in my life and my parents felt something drastic needed to happen before I made choices that could jeopardize my future.
I am hopeful to find some of the people I met during my time there. It would be great to see how everyone is doing in life. While I know there are a lot of bad memories from that time in our lives I also met some amazing people and I would love to find out where life has taken you. I recognize a lot of names from this thread but without last names and faces it is tough to place everyone.
Here is a picture of my ugly mug from work. Feel free to reach out if you would like, my email is scott_wayze@yahoo.com
fuck it
1-609-618-1154 hmu survivors
time to sting back
I was in integrity family… all I know is that place saved my life 😉
Do you know how I can find the old “parent handbook” from Spring Creek Lodge Academy? I wanted to get a list of the rules. The rules that we had to follow so as not to lose a point if a student broke one. You know what I am thinking of? like the old “CAT TWO’s” and stuff? (which meant a category two violation). I would like a copy of it. Thank You.
Any body on here go to camas in 06 trying to reunite I was sent there to finish school caught on to the brain washing and soon after staff that shit is about the only thing I said finally got through to parents after first seminar that happened at spring creek which was only time I saw the main facility but had heard plenty of stories of what happened there.if anybody was around camas in 06 hit me up on facebook
For some reason I have the discovery seminar in a binder I have yet to destroy. So good to see this page is still active and I, like many others still think about that time in Montana. There are no excuses and everyone made mistakes but no one deserves to be treated so…foolish as to say our parents couldn’t save us or didn’t care for us. Parents always care and sometimes care too much, that will never change.
“For those who proclaim
they’ve grown weary of children
there are no flowers”— Basho
Keep posting I want more stories.
Will. Are u from Houston Texas?
I am finally starting to forget this nightmare. I was at “Spring. Creek Wilderness Camp” in the spring of 1989 for two months. I don’t remember if we were denied pads/tampons or if we were only rationed a certain number? Regardless, we were forced into disqusting hygiene for sure! do remember we were only allowed a toothbrush, but no toothpaste. I had never had a filling/cavity in my life and came home with ~20.
I was forced to sleep in a tent with members of the opposite sex. I awoke to one fondling and kissing me in the middle of the night. His hands were in my underwear. I was disgusting and made me feel so dirty. We were denied simple foods and forced to build snares to catch rodents for food. We were only given lentils to boil for protein. We had to boil water to even brush our teeth at times. We never to knew when we would return home. We were simply cut off from our life, our families/friends, our world. I was scared and lonely the entire time. The “Counselors” who had no degrees were simply misfits from society who had no where else to go, One of tre counselors had gone through the program himself and was offered a job with no degree. He would catch flying bugs from the air and eat them for “his protein”. He wouldve never fit into real society. He was an ex heroin addict with tattoos all over his body. Our parents never saw him, yet these are the type of camp “couselors” we spent most of our time with. When our parents did come into town, the staff put on quite a good show and meal. We actually spent time in the lodge where it was warm and dry.
I had nightmares for years anxiously trying to escape the place I call hell.
I got there in 2002 and it was exactly like everyone else’s story, 2 flights and a 4 hr drive all the way across the US from where I live, they charged my mom 5 thousand a month fit me being there, I was lucky and was only there 6 months, worst memories of my life!
Ok so I need some help please, my now husband, Kyle Thompson who is 27 now.. Attended in 2004 part of unity, this place had a major affect on his life just curious if anyone remembers him or could help me understand if he went through anything that maybe he doesn’t want to share.. If anyone remembers Kyle Thompson please get In touch with me thompsondsm92@gmail.com
hi melissa. my name is ben. i do not know your husband and i didn’t went too this place but i had a similar experience elsewhere in europe when i was a teen. i know you just want to help and i envy your husband for having such a committed wife. but if he’s anything like me. he will probably struggle with trust problems, ptsd, and so on. sadly there are no shortcuts with problems like this. it takes time. i understand that it must be hard to watch the one u love suffer. but if you find out somting in this manner and confront him with it before he’s ready it might backfire. for me personally feeling loved and safe is more important then finding out all the bits and pieces of the past. in my case i long for the things they took from me. a sense of belonging somewhere, a warm home. i wish you all good luck and lots off love.
So this isn’t my real name. I was there September 06 to summe of 07 and was pulled. I spent the majority of my time in the intervention room. I was like most taken in the middle of the night from my bed in western washington over to Montana. I had no Idea where I was taken for months. No phone call for 4 months. I remember the car ride and the 4 months of nothing just sitting thinking I’m going to wake up. Feeling like killing all the staff and myself. To this day I struggle with this shit. It keeps getting worse and worse. To all the staff and ppl who ran that facility, if I find anyone of you I will torture and kill you slow for what you have done to my head. I wish there was a magic pill for that year of hell to go. I’m 27 now and I have a great job and a few ppl around me that are good ppl. There’s no family left. My mom’s the only one but I’ll never talk to her again. If anyone knows where to get any help in the tacoma seattle area please post an email or something here. Thank you. I can relate to everyone here in this page and I can feel your pain. If I cold take it and give it back to thoes ppl who ran that place I would.
I was in spring creek in 2006, unity group I got kicked out for being disobedient and fighting they sent me to tranquillity bay for 9 months. That place made spring creek look like the Hyatt. I was the youngest one in both those programs I was barely 13 years old. I got out 100 percent worse then when I went in. Eventually graduated to juvenile detention centers then to jails then to prison. Spent a lot of time in a lot of facility’s but tranquility bay and spring creek were by far the worse. Thank god there closed no one should have to go through the bullshit I went through in those programs.
This place was a bloody joke, love is how you show guidence and parenting. I had a “perfect Program” in the Honor cabin and beyond in the upper level from 04-06. But the entire time I “played” along to get out…. Not to change my behavior for the better. My substance abuse problems and parental disobedience stemmed from a lack of intelligent and honest parenting. This place did nothing in the form of help and guidence for teens. It was literally a correctional facility to house unwanted kids. If I ever go back it will be to burn the place to the ground. I saw kids slit there wrists, abused by staff, and bullied by many. My experience at SCL showed me the more cruel and evil side of human nature.
Any body on here go to camas in 06 trying to reunite I was sent there to finish school caught on to the brain washing and soon after staff that shit is about the only thing I said finally got through to parents after first seminar that happened at spring creek which was only time I saw the main facility but had heard plenty of stories of what happened there.if anybody was around camas in 06 hit me up on facebook
Hello, my fellow alumni…me and Patrick G. were the last two to graduate from the program and I still remember everything like it happened yesterday…the craziest shit is trying to explain how it was there to ANYONE on the outside…anyways, does anyone remember Mr. Dave…he was my favorite staff member there, also Big Al too from Honor family, which was the family that I was put into upon arrival…my parents tricked me into going there…I rebelled for a year, tried to kill myself multiple times, etc but after I went through orientation I just flew through the program because I realized that if I hadn’t gotten pulled from the program already that I probably wasn’t going to…only seminar I had to choose out of ever was Principles but got through it on the second round. FOCUS was my favorite does anyone remember the lifeboat process holy fuck!
how do I staff a seminar after I have graduated from the program? does anyone know?
please let me know how at Jordan.e.von.erichsen@gmail.com
Mr. Dave was good people. You could tell this was just a laid-off lumberjack who needed the health insurance. I liked him a lot.
I have a friend in one of these facilities and was told something about a “think bed.” Does anyone know what this is or could tell me? Thank you.
i haven’t heard the term before. can you tell me which facility so i can ask around?
I have heard of that but where I was they called it worksheets and it was a room with about five Cubbies with stools in front of them and you had to sit there for up to 24 hours straight and the only thing you could do besides sit there was your independent school studies
Hey, I was at Spring Creek Community in 1988 as this place was evolving into the nightmare scenario it ended up being. I feel so much for all whom were in place. It was a long long time ago and I am 44 now and I was 16 then. At the time it was run by Steve & Nancy Cawdrey. It was a definite case of the insane running the asylum.
I was 15 and was lied to by my parents who said I was going on a fun camping experience. I was put on a plane to Arizona in December and I ended up being forced marched through the canyon country for 3 weeks. During this time we were kept so far from civilization that the only hope for survival was to stay with the group. During this march through the desert we are given a ziplock bag with 3 smaller bags in it of rice , beans, and flour. This allowed for a one meager meal a day as we marched over a rugged landscape that , though beautiful, was totally harsh.
During this time, Steve Cawdrey would come walking in outta nowhere and every couple days and along with our “guides” would inflict upon us his crackpot version of “therapy” where he let the wilderness conditions break us down mentally so he could begin “rehabilitating” us. He started indoctrinating us during this time where we all felt literally “lost in the woods” to his version of how we should view ourselves and the way we had been living. We were totally at his mercy , so what were we to do. Then there was the eventual “building us up” near the end of the 3 weeks where they left us alone with a campfire for 3 days. I actually liked that because I didn’t have to deal with those sessions. It was crazy. I was a fairly good kid and my parents were rich and didn’t want to deal with a teen. I was put out there with kids coming off drugs and had been in gangs. I lost a lot of my innocence out there. One of the people was a USA Skinhead who was having and identity crisis. Needless to say, he gave Steve hell! Finally , stinking to all high heavens we came outta the desert all lean and hungry. We were all put in one big suburban/bus and drove through the snow up to Montana. There I was to spend the next year and a half. The desert was called “Survivor” and next was to come “Challenger”.
Challenger was where they put us in this winter camp. WINTER FUCKING IN MONTANA! They put us in the 4 wheel drive bus again and took us up higher into the mountains. We were given like 4 layers of clothes and a parka. I called it my “Space Suit” because the cold was real and deadly. At first they gave us snowshoes and marched us up and over mountains in the Rockies. It was merciless cold of January. We considered it warm if it got above 10 degrees. I remember the harsh lessons of the cold. One time I dropped a glove while getting into my tent and the next morning I got what was called their “lesson”. The next morning when I discovered the missing glove and found it frozen to the ground, my hand quickly turned into a frozen claw that wouldn’t move. The “guides” wouldn’t let anyone help me. I tried to pack my backpack and couldn’t. I begged for help and they wouldn’t help me. Finally I somehow stuffed my shit together in the pack and finally they helped me after my pack fell apart because I packed it one handed. I stood there watching me as I cried because I couldn’t put my belongings back in the pack because my hand was useless. One of the lady guides finally sighed ,”For goodness sake! ” and helped me put my pack together. They humiliated me on purpose for furthering the “breaking down” process of their mental conditioning. I had to put my glove next to my skin and let my body heat dry out the glove and I had to keep moving fast to keep my hand warm with my body heat alone. The cold was punishing and aided their harsh version of therapy. I remember there as a cold snap and it was -20 degrees below zero during the day and we had to go to an emergency cabin or freeze to death during a night that went down to -40. ( A kid who came to the school the month after I did almost lost his toes to frostbite. How is that for tender loving care ?!?) . After a week and a half of snowshoeing through this insane weather that no sane person would subject themselves to willingly, they gave us cross country ski’s . We were in incredible shape at this point being near 16 and they had given us real camp food again since we weren’t in the desert. We went through another long blur of trekking through the mountains. I remember one time looking up at the people with me and our face masks all had beards of frost hanging off our faces where our breath had frozen there. All this while having this crackpot therapy shoved down our throats whether we liked it or not. We had to embrace that we were totally fucked on a level I have never experienced again in the 30 or so years since then.
They finally brought us to a camp in a valley near the school where we were to meet our parents for more therapy. That was the site of the slow realization that the nightmare was not over. I was not going home. It was just beginning. That was what finally broke me. I didn’t talk to my father for 20 years after that day. I hated him with a black passion for being such an asshole. I finally talked to him when I was old enough to understand that he would never and could never understand. This 6 weeks of hell cannot be described. It is like talking to a soldier and having never been in the military. You can only understand if you have been there. That is why I am so thankful for this page. THANK YOU!!!
Back in the days of Spring Creek Community there were less than 100 kids and maybe 6 or 7 cabins at the site of the school with one central lodge. We were put through the monotony of their daily brainwash therapy. I spent two winters in that hell hole. I came to know Steve as a sick man himself. He talked to this girl that was beautiful during some of the session where he was trying to face his “sex addiction” …. talking to adolescent girl about this and in front of his wife no less !!!!! As I said. The insane running the asylum.
During the next year and a half I went through the early versions and mistakes of what would evolve into the stories you all have told. If we screwed up we would be put in a tent with the same meager rations from the Arizona desert or forced to walk 10+ miles. It was a long blur of “morning meetings” where they inflicted their ideas about therapy upon us. We were fed a long line of addictions to watch out for and were accused of. It seemed like you could be addicted to anything. WTF a boy of 16 with his sex drive in high gear being called a “sex addict” for kissing a girl. That was just sick and I knew that even then.
I was lucky that my parents were growing tired of for me to go there. It was like $10,000 or something like that a month. I played the good boy for a while because I really wasn’t the type to like trouble. Then they finally let me talk to my mother. Finally one day when I had my scheduled call, my mother asked ,” Are they listening to you talk.” and I said ,” Yes ” . I then had a yes or no conversation about how if I got to the level where they would let me visit home. They were going to keep me. I had already seen where parents had decided to take their kids back and the school PUT THE KIDS OUT. They gave the kid a pack and told them to go!!!!! What the hell kinda sick shit was that! I wouldn’t believe it if I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes.
I could write a book about this and there are many many crazy situations that were just sick in the head that I could tell you about. I am so glad to talk to those whom made it through that insane school and I would love to talk to those whom I was there with . I am Brann Adams and I went to Spring Creek Community around 1988. Please reply if you were there around that time. It would be priceless to talk to those whom understand.
Dude you were one of the first ones, and I heard stories about how much worse it was before I got there
I was there winter session. Just brutal. 88 would have been it. I did survival challenger in Montana. Must have been on the winter event with you. I don’t think the winter event was normal.
Hey buddy, long long time huh? I’d like to hear from you sometime.
I was also there before the 90’s – nicely done with your post, i’ve told a few people the same story pretty much verbatim, weird. I’m sorry but I can’t place you. I was buddies with Chris & Stewart (Pissy & Pooey affectionately) Wasn’t too friendly with Dan Barnhart but was with his girlfriend Amy (sp) Ulmansek and I could name a few more if you want. Remember Eric Sweptston? He was amazing on a mountain bike! Weird how the memories pop back in the way they do.
We had to have been at SCC together at the same time, I mean, everything you said in your post was perfect.
Oh and Steve came out of the woods from a road behind the girls dorm. He had his family back there in a really beautiful house with a cricket course in his from yard. When I see Bill Gates I can’t help but to think of Steve Cawdrey – Same build maybe.
Not a single person stayed at the ‘campus’ after Survival/Challenger for more than a week except of course myself. On my survival our only girl ‘Amanda” wrecked her knee, like day 1 in Flagstaff so they shipped her out and apparently she stayed at he upper/main/school “campus”
– hate calling that camping ground with cabins a campus, I went to College Prep Schools in New England before SCC – Referring to SCC as a ‘school’ with a ‘campus’ just perpetuates the lie Cawdrey fed our parents.
Anyway – thankful for your post Brann – i’d enjoy a conversation with you anytime
My name is Chris and I attended Spring Creek Lodge for 6 months in 2003 all I can say is the horror stories are spot on the neglect was real the psychological and physical abuse was real and The Hobbit which only people that have gone to the school will understand what I’m talking about pretty much destroyed any self-worth that I had when I requested my exit plan I was given a ride to the nearest homeless shelter and the clothes on my back in the middle of winter I am so glad the school is shut down and I have the utmost hatred for both the school the staff and my parents who still to this day stand behind what they did I hope to God anybody that is stuck in a program like this run run run run it is the only hope and when they let loose the dogs make sure they tear your face off so that you have the physical proof of what they do I know for a fact that use dogs at Spring Creek Lodge to track down students who have ran I only know this because I was put on junior staff privilege and sent on a Manhunt for a lower class student who had ran this school actually had measures and plan taught to their staff in the case that somebody ran or in the case that somebody tried to hurt themselves simply because it happened so frequently and the staff made sure to downplay anything that was going on at the school that would be construed as detrimental to the well-being of a minor the two men at the head of this ship should be held for their crimes and being given the the chair if you ask me which would be fitting because all we would have to do is tell him that it’s worksheet sit on your stool and stare at the wall only for him there would be no release after 24 hours of sitting on the stool this may sound like a rant or exaggeration but all I can say is I have not construed the truth in any way if you want any more details feel free to contact me I will speak freely about everything that went on at that school if that’s what you want to call it
My name is Chris and I attended the school in 2003 I currently live in Phoenix Arizona and when I read your story about the desert I thought maybe you would still be around here if you are I would totally be down to talk to you I’m going through a little bit myself now that I am in my 30s and the flashback of this period of my life are starting to dominate my current psyche I think maybe if I was able to connect with some other people that understood what I went through I might be able to talk of the flashback if you would be okay talking with me please by all means give me a call my phone number is 602-596-3046
Looks like this isn’t a very active place to post anymore, but I just wanted to state that I think I have everyone beat in a few ways. Three years in the program, never made it above level one, never went to a single seminar, and rebelled just enough to not get transfered to Jamaica. Everyone gave up on me o
in 2005 or 2004 when I was released from the program at age 16 but not welcomed to return home. This attitude and strong will is inherent to my being and I carry it with pride the same way the upper level would feel towards their graduation. I believe we all got something out of being in SCL, if even it is just strength.
I hope you carry that always my friend.
Is this holly poe from innocence?
I was in Spring Creek from Oct ’98 until Dec ’99, and I can Honestly say it Saved my Life. I would be Dead or in Prison had I not Undergone the Change that SCL is Soley Responsible for. Did I enjoy being there, no. Were there Shitty Staff Members, Yes. Did I fimd it Funny that only cute girls got to Work at Cameron’s and Chaffin’s Home? Hell Yeah. But that doesn’t mean that the entirety of the Program was Bullshit or wasn’t Helpful. The Seminars were where the True Fruit were, and of you went through them, and didn’t see that, then you were Blind or you are Lying to Yourself. I was Lvl 1 for 6 months, in the Hobbit multiple times, and in Worksheet Daily, all these sob stories people are telling just got to show you that after years they are still stuck in their Shit, and Based on the Results, they have exaclty what they Intended On. There are so many little lessons I learned there that I still use today. Call it Jargon if you want, but there really are 2 types of people in this World, Givers and Takers, and there is no Wrong or Right, just Things that Work, and Things that Don’t. SCL also saved my Sister from the Same Shit it Saved me From. So if you went there, and are now an Adult, and you are still im the Same Fucked Place that you were that got you there in the First Place, then Please Go Get Help. Or Find Me, Pull Up a Chair, Stand on It, and Let Me Rip You Up a Little! I came Here looking for a Place that does the Seminars so I can send my Daughter through them, and all I see are Comments from Unaccountable People. Get Out of Your Shit. PEACE!
Why do all Program Staff and Program Robots use the same Weird Capitalization Scheme? You know it doesn’t make you Look Smart, right? You just Look Like An Idiot. It’s the Weirdest Thing I have Ever Seen.
“There is no wrong or right only what works” This phrase still haunts me to this day. If that doesn’t sum up their bullshit in one sentence I would like to know what does.
Hey all im jamie. I was in paradise cove from july of 97 to oct 98. Transfered to spring creek and was kicked out in june of 99. I know alot of crazy shit happened in both of those places. I personaly never got beaten but fot caught up in all the games played there. I never progressed past level because i had a hard time not looking or talking to the girls. My bad. Im sorry to hear all your bad stories of how you were treated no kid should ever go through that. I think i was in RESPECT family. Ihave been trying to find one person if anyone is still in contact. Her name was Emily Gleason. If anyone remembers me hit me up id live to chat jameshanson42@gmail.com
I’m so glad that the TV show that was supposed to be based on SCL and Mike Linderman didn’t take off. Can you imagine what a disaster that would’ve been. Thank God the Teen Whisperer never made it to TNT. Mike Linderman deserves to be in jail.
Do you honestly think Mike Linderman is all that bad? Did you even know him? I’ve known him for years and he is the kindest person I have ever met. I get that he worked at Spring Creek but that doesn’t make him a bad apple too. I went to Clearview Horizon Academy in May of 2014, worked my ass off thanks to him, and graduated in October of 2015. I owe my life to him. He is literally the reason why I am here today. So please…think before you speak. 🙂
If he worked at Spring Creek Lodge, he had to be aware of the abuse that was occurring. Yet he, allegedly a licensed therapist and thus a mandated reporter, failed to report said abuse, making him not only a garbage human being, but also guilty of breaking the mandated reporting law and an abettor of the abuse himself.
And that’s at a bare minimum, giving him the probably-unwarranted benefit of the doubt and assuming he never actually abused anyone himself.
I’m from FL I was there between 03 and 04. It has taken a long time to search for this site but I’m glad I did. I still have some of the worst and best memories from there. Best memories were from meeting the fellow “inmates” and learning what we could. Con college 0.5. I miss the people that were there I miss tge honor among
The honor among those being exploited. I made friends that I still miss. The worst was everyday life. What fucking psycho plays tony Robbins at every fucking meal. I arrived so fucked up on flowers im the hopes I would die but instead I woke up in hell.
I was there in 1998 I was 16 and in Destiny. I hope the staff there burn in Hell. I’m actually starting to write a book about my life and how this place screwed my up so so bad. I was scared to talk about it till I was in my 30’s. I met someone at physical therapy one day and I over heard him say “I hate myself” I asked him why he said it and he said he was sent to a horrible program where they tell you and make you believe that you hate yourself. He was in a program in Idaho. Meeting someone like that randomly is like seeing a zebra in a grocery store. My email is lynette.shifflett@gmail.com I’d anyone wants to talk and share.
We have a group on Facebook: WWASP Survivors
What’s up everyone. Idk if anybody ever looks at this shit anymore, as 20 years in the past comes and goes.
My name is Trent, I was in Excel with Henry, Brad, Matt, Bill, Jesse, Scott, Jason and a whole bunch of other little fuckers that were honestly mostly pretty funny kids. Lot of names I can’t remember, but can see their faces.
I kept in touch with Henry a bit. We hung out once in Dallas.
Anybody remember that kid Torrey? From Wisconsin? I still call bagels bag-els because of him.
Anyway, I’m doing good. 3 kids, work in IT, got a degree from OU and lived in Denver for a bit. Now living outside OKC, very rural. Home office. Life is good.
I’m looking to buy up some land in MT, something with river access. Got bored and checked out SPL on GoogleEarth.
All the buildings are still there. I wonder if the place is for sale? Probably an arm and a leg, just curious.
Anyway, hope you guys are all doing good.
I was there in 97/98 in the legend family and it also screwed my life up. I was made to believe I was a piece of shit and came home thinking that didn’t take long I was in jail etc at 38 I still have problems with self hate and not a day goes by I don’t think of this hell hole. I was gonna go back this year for closure of some sort. I been in prison now and still this place was the worst place I have ever been. The mental torture they put you through was insane. The padded rooms etc was just so crazy
I was one of the first to show up in 96.i remember all you guys. Jay with the dish bowl chest. Goofy from LA. James from Utah. Danny I believe you had a twin brother, I can’t remember his name. I remember some really young kid….. can’t remember his name. Also Cody or something like that. I’ve blocked so much out, I may be wrong on the names. I remember Eugene, I think we called him little 2Pac. There was another Billy from Vegas. The staff, Cameron, the Utah mormans, Ryan and Brandon (I think) army reserves (or something like that). I remember the cowboy and really cool guy that called us his cockroach’s. Devin was the stocky short guy. I recall being kicked out of a seminar and sent to the hobbit with a guy named Mike. He used to love to do push ups. The “pit” with Tom Sawyer and huckleberry Finn. Eugene would give me all the answers, he probably heard those stories a million times! Shoveling snow, I should say making paths through the 4’ snow. That place was a trip! In all honestly I can’t believe I found this website! There are so many more faces……I can’t remember names. I still remember some of the put downs. Energy suck, emotional suck, attention suck! Lol fuck that place! What a wild ride!
Hey Billy, it’s James from those early days…I think we were in Brightway together and took the same van trip from Utah to Montana. Haha…yes we called Eugene Little 2Pac I forgot about that nickname. There was a Dan Birman and he had a twin brother…didn’t one of them run away or try to escape from Brightway? Can’t remember exactly. The little kid you remember was Cliff Miller, and there was Cody Bradford. And a guy David Leech (is that Goofy?) I only say that cause I think he was from LA like you said. Is your name Billy Roberts? There was Jay Ruff (dish bowl chest) haha..and James Jones who left when he turned 18. I think he walked out. Haha…I forgot about that phrase “attention suck” that’s right. And they used to say “I get you being in your image” or something like that. Didn’t they make David roll around in the mud to get dirty since he liked to be sharp dressed normally? Yep, the essay pit…I remember the Huck Finn…and there was Call of the Wild by Jack London too.
I remember the mormon staff yes…Randy and his brother (?) I wanna say Jason, not sure…and there was the guitar playing guy Rich, or Rick (?) and Brock and Scott…and Damon (?) I think it was Randy and his brother who had us do grass drills in the rain, running around the basketball court until some kids fell on the ground from being exhausted.
I think the reason I’m pretty good with names is only because Cameron (we called him Dough Boy) had me do the census…so I’d type up all the kid’s names on that weekly “level” report they posted in the hallway of the school building…the building across from the Hungry Horse that had the case workers like Laurie Travers & Jade’s wife Cassie’s offices in the middle…so yeah, I can recall a lot of names. There was an older main “teacher” there who kinda looked like Santa Claus…hi name was Ken, I think.
We were the original group of kids that started that place. When we arrived in Montana there were only a handful of kids already there…I think you & I were part of the 2nd group to arrive, and there were maybe 5 of us I think who arrived in that van trip?
Crazy how much time has passed. Hope you’re doing well Billy and life’s treating you good. Take care, good to read your memories cause not a lot of us are from that first year in ’96. Do you remember the wolf dog Lakota? I remember some of the cabin names….Blue Sky…Teton…Green-something? I can’t remember the name of the 2-story cabin that had the laundry room at the bottom…I’m spacin’ on that.
Oh, Randy was a different staff member with a cowboy hat and a small black dog? And Rusty was the mormon guy with the brother Jason…I think.
James did you know Damon McCrory? From Rochester NY?
In 2016 I was sent to Chaffin Pullans new program called Reflections Academy, in 2017 I was sent to go live in his house after I graduated the program. That was the worst year of my life. I found out yesterday chaffin was arrested as a child molester for having sex with one of the girls in the program. She is 15 years old. After abusing hundreds, maybe even thousands of teenagers this man has finally been stopped.
I was the one the whole molestation case was about. Reflections is terrible and I hate Mickey Manning.
Anyone remember Corwin Preston, from Excel from around 2001 to 2002?
Anyone remember Corwin Preston? He was in Excel from 2001 to 2002.
Anyone in “Quest” family in early 2004?
I was kidnapped by spring creek lodges goons out of a state where I was legally an adult. My father had me kidnapped and taken In cuffs to another state where I wasn’t legally an adult. Yeah
Hey I was there from 1998 to 2001 Asian kid who don’t speak much English at time, anyone remembers me ? ? 🙂
IG: Ke90227
Kevin what’s up brother?
Yeah I remember when you would break dance.
Haha this is a late answer so you prob won’t see it, but I remember you! I only saw you once or twice because they separated boys and girls, but I thought you were cute. And SO confident and funny, where all the rest of us were terrified and broken down. Then I remember Cameron trying to talk to you in the Hungry Horse and realizing you didn’t understand English very well, and I was like, holy shit. This poor kid doesn’t even know where he is and they’re going to torment him in a language he doesn’t understand.
How long were you there?
Not remembering Corwin would be like not remembering big mike from Excel
Man it’s crazy to read all of these stories. I just decided to look up SCL just to try to look at a picture of the grounds for whatever reason. I was in unity family in 99 and 2000. I was one of the guy’s that learned real quick what a joke this place was,you had kids in the program trying to be super cops for whatever reason. I guess that’s what they felt they had to conform too,to try to program. I don’t know I saw it as kids on a power trip but not really at fault of there own. They were shown they could have a little power over others and ran with it and for the majority of them came across to me as kids that didn’t really belong in any sort of place like this. None of us did, but you could tell from the kids that probably should have been rewarded by there parents instead of sending them off for someone else to deal with. It’s hard to put into words. Don’t get me wrong this place was fucked up From the top down. I got there at 16 and learned very fast i was going to ride out at level 1 until I turned 18 and just walk down the road. But at the same time I didn’t go out of my way to try to ruin anything for the rest of my family.once they brought us down to do those crazy ceromony things I can’t even remember what there called because I left after the first day. But they wanted to try to make you hold each other’s hands and dress like women all kinds of weird bullshit. I said to myself I will never come down here and participate in one of these in the rest of my time here,so when they came up I would tell them please just take me to the Hobbit. And that’s what they would do. You would go sleep on a piece of plywood with a staff member in front of the door. I did try to run one time with a buddy Patrick we were in that building where you had to listen to tapes all day. We planned it last second coming back from eating and we said right before we go back in this building we’re going to take off for the mountain. So we literally had like a 10 ft head start. And we gapped them pretty good. We got a ways up the mountain but we both gassed out and they caught up to us. I think they took my shoes for a month.i remember they would wake us up in the middle of the night and make us go sit on the basketball court for however long with barley any clothes. I remember Cameron made a kid jump into that little pod by the court if he wanted to go back inside… At the end of the day none of these staff were qualified to work with us!so called outta control kids it was just a source of income for them.If I remember right it was either work at the Mill or work there at spring Creek in a county of less then a thousand people which one would you choose.Much less kids trying to staff other kids that had trouble listening to there family how did they expect that to work under those circumstances sometimes I’d have a 13 year old kid telling me what I could and couldn’t do. While Cameron and his brother got rich off of gullible parents that don’t know what to do with there kids. It’s called parenting it’s what you signed up for when you had kids. It’s teenagers going through different stages of life trying to figure shit out. Yeah we can be imature we thought we knew everything it’s apart of growing up… I always remember thinking how come everyone just doesn’t stay on level one if everyone can do that there’s no way this program could survive! I’m just glad I saw through the BS. Played the hand that i was delt to the best of my ability at the time. And it worked in my favor. I won’t give the person up but there was one good staff member there. And that one person is the reason I got to go home 7 months before I turned 18!I will never forget that person. And I will admit if anyone deserved to be at a place for troubled youth it was me. I was failing school miserably, I had no clue what was going on in class because I missed so much school from a staph infection that I got that caused me to need hip surgery twice I had to walk on crutches for two years. I was already struggling in school before I had the surgery and missed months of school. So I dropped out in the 10th grade. I was pretty much gone for the Summers staying at a friend’s house near the beach surfing everyday with my three best friends smoking, drinking, taking ecstasy,acid, getting arrested,steeling my brother’s car and driving it to Pennsylvania. Buy the way I live in Florida. Getting into fights. Just pretty much running a muck. And all of that sounds pretty bad. But I still new right from wrong. I had good morals. I had respect for my elders. I knew I had a family that loves me. They just didn’t know how to communicate with me and I didn’t know how to communicate with them. I was just going through a phase in life at that period in time. And I wished they would of just let me get through that part of my life whether I would of gotten arrested and had to do some jail time. Because when I got home from spring Creek I lost a huge part of my identity I didn’t have that free spirit that I had I didn’t really fit in with my lifelong friends in the same way. It definitely messed with me in a big way. I will say it did some good with the bonds I created with some people. But I think it did more harm. I had one of my best friends from 9 years old tell me about 6 months ago that I didn’t come back from that place the same. And get this those same three friends that were doing all those same things I was doing are doing 10 times better in life that I am doing today. So for any parent that reads this that thinks about sending there kid off to some place you have no clue what’s going on. Let them grow through there phases in life. Let them suffer from whatever actions they might create for themselves. And just love them and support them as much as you can through it all.guide them try to understand what there going through. Know when to ask questions know when to back off, know when to be a friend, know when to parent. That would be my advice. And to everyone that’s been through that crazy ass place we are all one big disfuntional family for it.
Yo I was there in dignity my name is Matthew ! Trying to find my best friend at the time Tristan!! I was there in 2004 – 2005
Hey i don’t remember when I was there exactly but I think 2006 or 2007. I was in Quest I think and our family father was Al. Was anyone there at the time ? I’m looking for a friend name Tyler he from Montana I think.
I was in quest I believe in 2000 2001. I made it up to level 4 jr staff. I turned 18 and had my graduation ceremony at the lodge. The place was crazy for sure and did my share of time in worksheets and whatever the hell that place was where you had to lay on the concrete all day.. but honestly I didnt think it was life scarring. The seminars were terrible. I left straight from there to Purdue university where I continued to get in trouble. I was in and out of jail until my late 20s until i got my shit together and now have a family and own a business. I actually found this page because I had to list my graduating school which was spring creek. I didnt know they got shut down or about the lawsuits until now.
Hey you all, this is all amazing to read, I went to a program in TF (not SCL) for 1.5 years.
I am looking for information on Raoul Ribeiro, he worked as a therapist at SCL in the early 2000s, under Linderman.
Please email me at clark.capehart.charles@gmail.com. I am doing my own research for background on a possible article.
Thank you so much, and power and good health to you all.
I was here in 2002-03. I was 14. Innocent. Not perfect, but harmless. My step father talked my Mother into sending me here. We were tortured, abused, and traumatized. They put us through seminars that were some weird brain washing bullshit. We walked heal toe and couldn’t look up out of line or we would loose points which ultimately made you a prisoner longer. The mental and emotional abuse affected me the most. I was in Destiny family. You could speak to anyone when you got there unless you were a level 2. So you couldn’t process the traumatic loss you just experienced as a child being drug out of your bed in the middle of the night. If you showed too much emotion you were thrown in the hole where they fed you every meal in a tortilla. Wtf? Why would this ever be acceptable to parents? I’ll never be the same because my parents were too weak or lazy to raise me themselves.
I was never in the program but my Mom worked at spring creek in 2007 and i would come onsite some days. Let me tell you, that shit bled into my life too. My mom made me go through seminars, and used all the bullshit jargon. I am so sorry for everyone who was littetaly kept prisoner i sincerelyhope my mother was not the cause of some of these horrible ordeals.
Shit man. I was there. Age 13 hit the survival challenge program. I was there at spring creek community before most of you here. 5 months in the wilderness then committed, year and more. I got trench foot which screwed me for life. Got first home made tattoos here, lost my virginity at 13 to a 16 year old. I stole a car twice, escaped, robbed a liquor with a stolen car and brought tobacco back to feed the masses. Helped others escape. Mike the counselor got punched in the face while I was there. I got put in exile and literally had to sleep in the woods where everyone could see me but not talk to me I froze my ass off. Parr hall. Lol. These folks eventually kicked me out, wanna know where they sent me? Pathfinders with Mile Parr!! 7 weeks later after Mike I got sent to f’n Cascade school! I went to BOTH of these places! Cascade school for a year and a half til I told em to just take me to juvy cause I was done with the BS. I gots to be the only one who attended both these schools and got kicked out of both. These were tough places to get kicked out of for sure. Man I used to huff gas at the motor yard. Ben broad, sorry I missed hate-ash. If spring creek was bad I was worse….
Any of y’all can hit me up.
Grant – I gave you those tats and I drove that van into the store – hit me up
Was in unity during 2005. Fuck this place. Let me know if you were in unity around the same time.
Need transcript if anyone could point me in right direction
I am wondering if anyone knew my brother, Kareem Rahman. He was at Spring creek from when he was 16-18 years old. I only got to see him a couple times in the midst of that and whenever we went, siblings only got 2 hours with their brother/sisters. It was so cruel what you all went through and then on top of it to not be treated right even when family came was insane. He died in 2011 and I still think so much about what he went through and if he would maybe be alive if he never went there to begin with. He would have been in a completely different place and what happened to him maybe never would have.
I just found this website and thankful for it. I put my name as 5mo for now because that was my nickname. I was in excel family in 2000. I was 13 years old and was told was the youngest “student” there at the time. More like detainee I remember Godfrey and Henry, and a guy named Cason took me under his wing and actually gave me my nickname. I feel like the description of half military school half cult is accurate. When I first arrived it felt like military walking around heel toe not being able to talk or even look at certain people. It didn’t start feeling like a cult till I went to my first seminar where you couldn’t pass unless you forced yourself to cry. I pretty much lived in level 2 up to this point just so I could have condiments on my food. Before that I lost mass amounts of weight because the food was almost inedible. I got my nickname because after failing out of my first seminar on the first day I gave up on the ridiculous program. I was only 13 stil in middle school. Hence the name 5mo because I had 5 more years till I was 18 and no one saw me graduating. Finally after building up enough negative points I pretty much spent my days in worksheets or the hobbit where in the former u were forced to sit on a wooden box all day in a stall and the latter was basically a makeshift Guantanamo cell with a bloody carpeted piece of plywood to sleep on and two meals of a kidney bean burrito each day. This place was hell and would not wish it on anyone. It took me going on hunger strike and losing an unhealthy amount of weight before they called my parents to come get me who ended up being delighted to take me away from there after they saw first hand what this place was like. I still have scars on my back where an upper class student had whipped me with a stick when I refused his commands.
Mariam, I am so sorry to hear about kareem! He was one of my best friends! I took him under my wing and we hung out a lot! How did he pass? You can email me at ri25tch2.0@gmail.com
Second comment, my last came up as a reply idk why not my intention.
What’s up everyone. Idk if anybody ever looks at this anymore, as 20 years in the past comes and goes.
My name is Trent, I was in Excel from March 2000- March 2001 with Mark, Henry, Brad, Matt, Bill, Jesse, Scott, Jason and a whole bunch of other little f*kers that were honestly pretty funny kids. Lot of names I can’t remember, but can see their faces.
I kept in touch with Henry a bit. We hung out once in Dallas. And Matt from Alaska. We hung out when I was living up in Northern California for a while.
Anybody remember that kid Torrey? From Wisconsin? I still call bagels bag-els because of him.
I’m doing good. 3 kids, work in IT, got a degree from OU and lived in Denver for a bit. Now living outside OKC, very rural. Home office. Life is good.
I’m looking to buy up some land in MT, something with river access. Got bored and checked out SCL on GoogleEarth.
All the buildings are still there. I wonder if the place is for sale? Probably an arm and a leg, just curious.
Anyway, hope you guys are all doing good, I think of you all from time to time.
I know there was a lot of sadness and angst associated with this place, but for me it’s mostly comedy.
You guys were nuts haha, so was I.
Brad the comedian. Bill with the good sci-fi. Singing Gregorian chants in the hobbit hole.
“Thiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiissssss issssss buuuuuuuuuuulllllllllll shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiittttttt.”
The seminars were really the only truly ugly thing about the place. Everything else was sort of just a juvie type of atmosphere, kids being shifty and staff attempting to catch them. Me and… Mark? I think? Chugged that whole bottle of Scope. Lord they were pissed about that. Got a decent buzz from it though.
But yeah I only passed the one seminar, played along, realized at the end of it that it was just straight up emotional manipulation and brainwashing. Never even made a second attempt. Cliff fucking hated me for that. That I saw through it like that and just wanted nothing to do with it after one. Clifford the big red dog, what a douche. His wife was hot though.
I’m frankly embarrassed that I even passed the first one. It was cool getting sugar and butter and ketchup for like a week I guess haha. But not worth letting them tear me down emotionally like that. I still cringe to think of it.
Anyway you guys feel free to holler at me if you see this. cason.trent@yahoo.com
For anyone trying to get their HS transcripts I have a contact! Nicole Scribner, 406-827-6922. She is the superintendent for Sanders County, MT. Our HS transcripts do not exist. Those asshole twins never submitted them. Luckily, I had my HS diploma from them, but even with out that she can help you. I was admitted in to University because of her hard, fast work. She said that she has worked with many students and has a 95% success rate of getting us were we need to go. Finally someone that will help us survivors. I cant believe after all we have been through we now have to deal with this…
My name is Devin, and I was in Integrity family in 2000. I stumbled upon this page while looking for a way to get my transcripts… I even found a post my mother Julie made in 2013. That was weird. I had a horrid time while there and spent time in work sheets and the hobbit. I got to come home because I graduated HS, and that was my mothers only concern. I came out worse then when I went in. I have been on anti depression meds and thousands of dollars in therapy. I have since married and had three children, and can say I am pretty happy in my life. I do not give SCL or my family any credit for that!! I do feel like I have this dark past that nobody really understands though… If anyone remembers me you can reach out, I have a really bad memory and struggle because my coping mechanism is to block things out. luckycage2@yahoo.com
I was there when the place was called Spring Creek Community, I saw a comment somewhere up there from another one from those days.
I stole and drove the van into Trout Creek one night with 4 or 5 passengers. Ended up driving into the little store, as in ~I drove INTO the store~ and everyone but me jumped out a grabbed every cig and dip can in the place. Then I backed out and drove back up the road without the lights on the whole way, then made the left onto SCC dirt road, parked the van and smoked til mid morning when the cops grabbed myself and 1 or 2 others….didn’t say a thing, so they dumped me in the woods for 16 days with less shit than they sent me out on survival with until 2 monsters scooped me up without a word, stuffed me in a truck, then a plane and dumped me off at Provo…where I stayed until April 24 1992 ~ anybody out there I might remember? It would be nice to talk
Grant~ I just read your post – Grant was in the van haha sup fool
For the things that were done to me and then sent me to Jamaica for defending myself. Chaffin I hit you in the face and you well more then deserved every ounce of that hit I got off. And same day I dislocated Bills shoulder from him and tmac restraining me. Brain washing and like a cult. Put me in an insane asylum for two weeks while waiting to be taken to Jamaica where I found out what hell truly was. The things that happened to me cause of these schools I can’t even word. And I don’t get any closure at all. WWASP was a sick business and ill have to live with my scars the rest of my life. You guys hurt me mentally, physically, and sexually. Thanks a lot you guys. What I would do to get compensation for the hell you put me through.
****Concentration Camp****
Bunch of liars here. Most people here have bf’s/gf’s and leaving their IG handle and e-mail. Trying to get exposed? Lmao
I was sent away in 2003-2005. My brother had been sent to Casa by the Sea 2001-2003 so I knew what was happening right away. I have never been the type to go with the flow or fake it till I make it. I was rebellious, purposefully non-compliant. Unfortunately that brought about a lot of abuse at the hands of the staff. I stayed at level one, zero points for a whole year. I spent almost that entire year in worksheets or intervention. I can remember countless times when they would needlessly call for support staff and watch as 6 male staff pinned me to the ground. I heard a rumor that they couldn’t restrain you if you were naked, so I tried it. It worked a couple times but then they just decided to cover me with a sheet while they restrained me instead. The staff loved restraining people and I specifically remember Shawn Stewert getting excessive joy out of it. Everyday I was there, they tried to break my spirit. Their model was brainwashing. Break you down, and then build you into who they wanted you to be. Since I wasn’t compliant they would consequence me for minimal things just to watch me lose it and get restrained. One of the worst times, I was quietly sitting on my bunk during hygiene time painting with toothpaste and pen ink (did what I could with what I had). They told me it was a Cat 4 and I needed to be removed to intervention. When I disagreed and didn’t get off of my bunk I was ripped off the top onto the floor by a male staff member. I can go on about countless abuses, countless neglect, countless trauma. They did everything in their power to show they had complete control over you. One time Chaffin hit 3 golf balls into the woods and said if we didn’t find all 3 we would all drop to level one. Of course you can’t find golf balls in the woods! They practiced physical, mental, and emotional abuse. The worst for me was the emotional abuse. They would break me down so much in the hobbit that I would cry and scratch chunks of skin out of my arms and legs. Honestly I think they got off on that. They also had the “seminars” which were abusive in their own right. One activity was the lifeboat and you had to go tell all your fellow prisoners if they lived or died. Another horrible practice was where they would have girls talk in public about their rape and then have everyone yell obscenities like “whore” “you deserved it” “slut”. Everything was designed to turn you into a shell of a human so you would be grateful when they let you have butter in your oatmeal, or ketchup on your burger.
Everyday I contemplated suicide, it seemed the only way to get freedom. I still have PTSD and vivid nightmares of that place almost 16 years later. I still have moments where I age regress to the age I was in the program when I get really upset. I don’t think I will ever get past the trauma caused by SCL, and I know I can never forgive my parents for it either.
I enjoyed reading through all of these comments because it has been a long time since I have connected with the memories of this place. I was brought to Spring Creek Lodge sometime in late 2007 in a van full of other kids. We were all coming from Sky View Christian Academy, which was a WWASP program in Hawthorne, NV that was forced to close because of a handful of lawsuits/complaints. I think Sky View Christian Academy was open for maybe 5 years?.. which is why nobody talks about it. We were all placed in a room and told the school was shutting down and one by one they would point at us and say “You’re going home”, “you’re going to Cross Creek”, “you’re going to Spring Creek”… I was level 4 at the time and thought maybe my mom would let me come home because I was now an upper level and this school was shutting down because of some serious negligence and boy was I wrong. I was going to Spring Creek in Montana and it was really hard having everything taken away from you and then you grow close to your people who are surviving this shit with you and then you find out that everyone is being split up. I remember before we officially left this pedo ass fuck named Mike Terry took a group of us (level 3’s-4’s & 5’s) on a walk through the desert and we voted each other up. I suddenly became a level 5… what a joke. I was also suddenly given an A+ in my chemistry class which WAS SUCH A JOKE. I understand that being given level 5 may have seemed like such a dope reward for hardly having to work for it but looking back on it now I just think what a joke the whole “moving up” thing was. I was tricked into going to boarding school at 15 and my mom drove me from Cali. I was thinking in my dumb little head that I’d be somewhere like Zoey101 and my mom was giving me this great opportunity to go away for school. I had a huge bag packed and I had said goodbye to all of my friends and the whole time she knew that if she mislead me to believe it was something else Id willingly go. My bags were handed back to her when we arrived and she started crying and I thought she was just being emotional and I walked and smiled and it just didn’t click right away what was happening. It didn’t take long until it started to sink in…. I was so fucking sad and I felt so betrayed by her. I remember a few weeks in once it REALLY sank in I lost it. I started hitting my self in the face, like punching my face so hard over and over again. I would make my nose bleed and went through a whole box of tampons and kept making my nose bleed. I was hoping they’d let me talk to my mom if I made it serious enough and instead they sent me to the town doctor who said he would need to cauterize my nose because it wouldn’t stop bleeding. I think the staff knew what I was doing and how I was making it bleed and so they wanted to put me in this position to make me stop. I refused the doctor and they called my mom and said I had to go to wilderness or I was going to need to be picked back up. My mom NEVER questioned staff or even questioned my behavior as a sign of desperation to speak to her and she signed me on for the wilderness. I was transported to Distant Drums in Nephi, UT and spent about 6 weeks there. It was fucking crazy but I actually preferred it over being locked in Sky View Academy. I begged my mom in letters to let me stay in the middle of nowhere in the snow and not send me back but of course my family rep from SkyView insisted I return and complete the program (Obviously for money, doing her job). I returned with dreads and a weird tan and I smelled like crap and had to shower like 5 times (Thats 15 minutes in total, woohoo). Then not long after the school shutdown like I mentioned in the beginning. I showed up to Spring Creek Lodge a level 5 and that was fucking weird. I did was in this whole new place with a few people I knew and a ton of people I didn’t and I had to be an upper level and consequence people and play the game of accountability and all that. Its mostly a blur to me but I do have flashbacks… one of them is an alarm going off and upper levels having to run out of the cabin looking for a girl named Jessica and I was the one who found her running and I remember I tackled her and kneed her in the back and held her down in the snow and I remember both of us crying.. and exhausted and it was so fucking sad.. I didn’t want this to be our lives and I didn’t want to be responsible for this shit and I just wanted to go home. My mom was so set on me graduating and returning home as her “new and improved accountable daughter.. what a success you’ve become” I did graduate both school and the program. I picked a stupid song and was carried over all the people as they basically crowd surf you down the line.. blindfolded and all that. I was the only girl graduating with like 6 other guys so didn’t exactly have a deep bond with my group, but they were all nice guys I just didn’t know them at all and sort of stayed on separation. When I came home I had a contract and was a completely different person only like 20-30lbs heavier. Most of my friends were below A+ grades “according to the contract handbook” and I had to literally reach out to them and tell them I couldn’t speak to them anymore because of their grade… like wtf. How weird I was.. just trying to never go back I did it all. Made my bed 3-4 times a day. Tried to stay positive and give my mom everything she had paid for…an acceptable me? That didn’t last long though. My life didn’t really ever go anywhere to be honest. I have struggled very much with depression, trauma, and I just recently started therapy for a lot of things and so much of it that I have tried to forget about is coming back little by little and I’m 31. I have bad memories and that place took a lot of my good qualities and I didn’t leave with them. I hope to find a way to create something I can look forward to but for now I am trying to just get by…
One other thing I want to mention is that in one of the seminars at SkyView Christian Academy there was a girl… i think she was 14. We were all supposed to stand up and face everyone in the seminar and talk about our trauma and/or be forced and shamed for not being able to. This girl got up and told us all while crying that her step father was raping her for a long time and she thinks her little sister too and she told her mom but her mom didn’t want to hear it and she arrived at the school shortly after. NOBODY INTERVEINED AND SHE JUST SHARED SOME VERY SERIOUS SHIT. I’ll never forget watching her all alone up there and feeling so horrible about just sitting there while the facilitator asks her to move on to her next trauma. I was horrified.
I don’t spell so good was staff form about 2003 to 2006. Ya Cammeron from river view was charged with sex assault, never heard what came of it. I was duped at first and caught up in the positive atmosphere of SCL. Then soon to realize the bullshit going on. One time I tried to bring it up chaffion and was told to keep quiet about it and I must of been wrong about what i saw and heard. Caught Cliff going through my things in the back room he was looking for a way to get rid of me. I was a family father at first Cliff made some bull sith charges about me to get me fired. Back up just a bit but I don’t Rember the name of the guy in charge of staff before Mike Terry took over, but seen him kicking the shit out of a student at about 2am was told to go back to bed. When i got fired i brought that incident up to Chaffon and a bunch of other shit I had seen, if I didn’t get my job back i was going to the police and paper. I had a family and needed the money to live they hired me back as night staff. Little did I know the chief of police was in on some of the sex shit going on would catch runners and have them come to his house and try to get them to swim naked in his hot tub. I was on night staff 3 months then moved to flex staff. soon after that girl killed her self and I told my wife I had to quit and get away from there. Mike Terry and his brother Matt had made some comments that I might have an accident. So I quit and my wife and I left TFs and moved to Wash closer to my wife’s parents. her dad was a house painter so I went to work for him. Soon after we heard kids were being pulled by there parents right and left and Spring Creek closed soon after. I’m sorry for the things done there I wish I could of done more to help the kids I would talk to them the best I could and share my own life experience . I was not trained and was told all I had to do was walk the kids from point a to point b. I was weak and pushed around by the other staff.I worked with just the boys and not around the girls much, I know one of the jr staff staff who was an ugly fuck tried to get a 17 year old girl to have sex with him and was fired the girl was shipped out fast. Oh and that staff who was our boss that kicked that student, the student and parents filled charges on that staff. they agreed to drop the charges if the staff was fired. That staff went to a school like spring creek in New York for 6 months then came back to spring creek.
Again I’m sorry and hope you all do well in life, i could say more but its in the past.
I know I know I’m dum.
Just want everyone to know that Tony Robbins just funded a movie about child trafficking and abuse. I contacted him and said there needs to be accountability having his audio tapes played at every meal in each facility around the world. I plan to go public with this if he doesn’t respond to me by July 15th. Anyone who wishes to testify to any journalist I find willing to make the story please email me at: jonathansimas@yahoo.com
I worked there in 2001 and 2002. I was the family “parent” for the Courage Cabin. I was only 19 years old at the time. I will never forget my time at SCL and the things I witnessed some of these boys do. I quit after my night staff was brutally beat with parts of a vacuum cleaner in the middle of the night. I remember being told if one of my boys acted out to threaten them with a transfer to the school in Jamaica where they could physically abuse them without consequence. I made great money but I couldn’t in good conscience continue to work there.
How the fuck are you still open. I hope y’all burn to the ground.
I hope this place burns to the ground
Not a student of Spring Creek, but was a student of two Montana programs, one ran by Cameron and Chaffin, and even moved to Chaffins house in Utah for about a year.
Going into their program they brought up Spring Creek and all of the controversy around it, downplayed all of your stories, and would show us this website to essentially make fun of the situation. I’ve had my own experiences with them. Not in the same nature, they were much more sexual. Chaffin and I also believe Cameron were caught sleeping with multiple students. Honestly sent my head through a whirl since I was still living with his family at that point. It’s crazy looking back and seeing that everything that we knew of them was true.
I was staff there some time after 2005 cannot remember when I worked there. If I new what was going on in the big wigs I would have done what ever I could to have that place shut down but I was just worksheets guy. I got multiple write ups because I broke the rules. So that why I left before getting fired and there was always something off about that place.
I was in Cross Creek but I remember Cameron. I remember he left I was there April 1995 to June I think 1996.
Cameron and (I think his name was) Steve, used to antagonize the only black girl at the time until she would snap so they would have an excuse to throw her to the ground restrain her and have the nurse shoot her up with thorazine and then throw her in isolation. I remember her screaming and crying saying they were hurting her and she couldn’t breathe.
I never got to know her well, she was tall thin with delicate features I can say the few interactions I did have when she wasn’t on staff buddy she seemed quiet and really nice but broken from the abuse.
She had a friend Devon who used to try and help her and yelled at them and they would threaten to tase her and they would call over the radio to get help from big guys that worked there as therapists or program director. Often they both would end up in isolation rooms drugged by the nurse.
I remember Devon telling me not to defend her because if I did I’d be there until I was 18 like her.She said once I do that they will do the same to me as her. She did it because she had been there for years her parents dropped her off and never visited and made it clear no matter what she was there until she was 18. It was terrible. She was almost always on staff buddy and constantly being harassed by staff.
They wouldn’t let us acknowledge anyone on “staff buddy” you couldn’t speak to them or look at them or you would be put on staff buddy also. The only people you could speak to was staff and you spent your day in a 5ft wide 10ft long all white empty room with hard industrial carpeted floors (no padding) locked in. If you needed water or a restroom you had to bang on the door and hope staff were around or the nurse would hear you and call them so you could be escorted at their convenience to the bathroom. At night you had to sleep on the floor in the hallway of a mildew smelling basement with florescent lights. I know because I had run plans and the girl I trusted and who had asked to go along with me told on me. And I lost my visit lost my level and had to write a stupid essay saying I was a terrible person and was put on isolation for a few weeks.
Those places were hell and anyone who says we deserved it I feel sorry for if they were in the program because they still are brainwashed and probably lead a miserable self depriving life. If they worked there then they are Abusive POS who get off on abusing defenseless scared powerless abandoned children.
Whomever wrote that comment from 2001, I was there and pretty much remember every bit that was described. Respect “family” from 2000-2001. I hope Cameron and Chaffin get butt hole cancer.
Reading ALL of this is soooooo incredibly heartbreaking. I am the mother of Quinn Bringas. He was at Spring Creek, Courage Family, from November, 2002 then taken to Jamaica, Tranquility Bay, from 2004-to March 2005. He died by suicide in January, 2018. He never really made it beyond Level 4. We participated in EVERY seminar, believing that it would take the WHOLE family to work with and save our boy, whom we love beyond words. I so remember Quinn’s Family Father. He was gentle, kind, and seemingly, very supportive. I know Quinn had many horrible memories of Tranquility Bay, but, Spring Creek seemed to be really working. I’d love to talk to anyone who anyone who knew him or was in his family, either at Spring Creek or Tranquility Bay.
I’m sorry for your loss. I talked to Zacks dad at his funeral and it was was most difficult and strange conversation in my life. I wish I had said something else but I blurted out “I don’t know why he would put that shit in his system.. I just don’t” answering his questing with the same statement. Anyways we’ve all got a system and a program that goes against it. Be real to the ones you love.
So the seminars were beyond creepy culty weirdness that I randomly get vivid flashbacks of the nightmarish, unnecessarily stupid, lame, horrible, & I know I alredy said weird, but, super weird place.
I wonder where all the tapes of all of us going through seminars are. They filmed all that, & would try to force confessions to pass when the emotional result conforms to the unreasonable criteria of rules which requires snitching on everyone all the time,that ultimately decides your freedom, & well-being, & advancement in a program created & designed & implemented by deranged rogue psychopaths granted autonomous discretion of punishment or level of use of force in any given scenario.
No offense to psychopaths.
Im a psychopath too. But im very polite, & I have manners, & at least never try to push my beliefs on others & never snitch on anyone.
hate that place & all the weirdos there.
…agreed??
Here’s Dan Peart’s # would be absolutely shameful if someone were to prank him or confront him 801-540-8355
I was at Spring Creek today n 2002 in Courage Fam. I think about everyone from there all the time. Some of the strongest friendships I ever had were in that place and then boom gone and back to life where nobody has any clue about it. Glad to be connecting again. Love you all and if anyone needs anything please reach out
Trghomeskc@gmail.com is my email if anyone needs someone to talk to
My brother Mark was troubled and had been to military school, vocational school etc but then when 17 in 1997 spent some time at Thompson Falls SPL. I was just a little kid so don’t remember it all but just found an old letter and looked up the address and discovering the documentary and this site which explains what happened next. He ran away one night from there and showed up at a nearby house and the cops came. We came out to see him and he ended up coming home but had changed. Not long after he killed himself. I’ve always wanted someone or something to blame and now I somewhat do. I fully recognize he had mental issues but this pattern of inhumane treatment instead of actually providing constructive therapy is sickening and I’m glad to see it’s been closed. Sad to see families trying to do the best for their kids only find themselves in worse situations.
Eternity family 03-04. Taken by strangers at 4am from California to Montana. Mind you, these transporters looked like they lived off drugs and alcohol. I never worked the program, I was 14 at the time and didn’t want to be there and was also an only child so in the back of my mind I knew I wouldn’t be there long regardless. Stayed a level 1 almost the entire time except when I was put on the bucket challenge (rocks in buckets that you must carry everywhere with you instead of losing points regardless of how heavy THEY as in 2 get) but finally got level 2. I honestly think at some point the social worker (not sure her title tbh) felt bad for me and eventually let me talk to my mom on the phone once. I didn’t get in big trouble always petty stuff like talking out of turn, looking out windows, looking at boys (go figure I’m a lesbian now) honestly going through discovery and getting “die feedback” is what haunts me the most. That sucked. I honestly was WAY worse when I got home, I had only drank and smoked weed before I went but learned about so many things while I was there. Anyone else have this same thing happen? I do think this experience is why I’m so passionate about mental health and now am a psych nurse. Glad we all made it out.