A Family Affair

Tracy Williams does not want anyone to feel sorry for her. Never mind that the Port Hueneme single mother of four children--including one who has cerebral palsy--is carrying a load that many people would buckle under.

“It’s just something you do,” she said about caring for her kids and holding down a new job. “It’s all I’ve ever known.”

Beverly and Arnold Prepsky of Oak Park don’t want anyone to think of them as wealthy benefactors. Never mind that their kindness will make Christmas presents possible this year for the Williamses, four other families and several teenagers.

“We never were [affluent] and we aren’t now,” said Beverly Prepsky, who works at an indoor swap meet. “I’m going to work this morning and I work like everyone else.”

The two families were brought together through Interface Children Family Services’ Adopt-A-Family holiday program. This year, donors--who include individuals, families and companies--will provide Christmas presents and dinners for about 160 families.

The agency also expects to provide gifts for an additional 250 children, about half of them teens.

Almost all of the adoptees participate in the agency’s 25 regular programs. The Camarillo-based agency provides services ranging from operating shelters for battered women, runaways and sexually abused children to preparing teens in foster care to live on their own. The agency also administers the Big Brothers/Big Sisters program, while providing a variety of counseling and crisis intervention services.

Ordinarily, donors do not meet their adoptees. But when the Prepskys joined last year, shortly before Christmas, they found that buying presents was not easy when they didn’t know what the children wanted or needed.

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“Last year, we had a nightmare,” Beverly Prepsky joked. “We almost got a divorce.”

Added Arnold Prepsky: “We had a hard time doing it. We had four families and 32 kids, with three days before Christmas.”

This year, Arnold arranged with Interface to take the mothers of his adopted families shopping with him.

“It could have been so uncomfortable with the donor there,” said Susan Wood, an Interface case manager who went on the shopping trip with Williams and the other moms.

Arnold Prepsky was “just so supportive and fun,” Wood said. “He just joked through the whole thing and was really warm and compassionate. He’s the kind of person who makes my job a joy.”

Williams first came to Interface about three months ago. She had heard about Big Brothers/Big Sisters and applied for her children, Boomer, 12, Kristina, 11, Patrick, 8, and Stephanie, 6.

Williams had moved her family to Ventura County from Nevada this past summer to get better medical care and support services for Kristina, who has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair. A construction worker in her home state, Williams said she made good money. But in California she had a difficult time finding a job.

The family was forced to go on welfare for a while. Earlier this month, Williams found work delivering meat. But being behind on rent and having the phone turned off, Christmas was still going to be tough.

“The truth is, most of my moms are not on welfare,” Wood said. “They are the working poor.”

That’s what makes the Prepskys’ kindness so appreciated. Even though Williams was embarrassed by having her story made public, she chose to come forward just so she could thank them.

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“When you don’t have and someone opens their heart to you,” she said, “it just makes such a difference.”

For the Prepskys, however, just seeing Patrick Williams with his radio-controlled car, Stephanie with her dolls, Kristina with her Scrabble game and Boomer with his bike helmet was thanks enough. A bike to go with the helmet and more presents will arrive on Christmas Day.

“I don’t think anyone has to be affluent to do these things,” said Beverly, who has two adult children with Arnold, her husband of 41 years. “Instead of treating ourselves, we did this, and it was better than getting a new car or a five-carat ring.”