Barry Gerard Prendergast
Barry Gerard Prendergast (aka Zach or Zack and Zacchaeus Star) founded the Colorado non-profit corporation Family Services Colorado, Inc. in February 1997. In July 1999, Mr. Prendergast and his spouse Naomi Prendergast received the "Parents of the Year" award from the National Parents Day Foundation at a ceremony on Capitol Hill. Former members of The Family International who heard of the award identified Mr. Prendergrast as a member of the cult who had abused children at a Victor Camp in Italy in the 1980s. After inquiries from Houston Chronicle reporter Evan Moore and others, the Prendergasts returned the award. Mr. Prendergast also illustrated some True Komix and other Family Publications. In December 2006, Modesto Bee staff writer Michelle Hatfield reported that Mr. Prendergast was teaching sociology at California State University, Stanislaus and had received a Master of Arts degree from the University of Exeter (UK).
More information
- Tribute to Naomi and Zack Prendergast — Statement by former U.S. Representative Scott McInnis of Colorado’s 3rd Congressional District, 1999-07-21
- "National Parents Day Award goes to Cult Member," Ron Jones, soc.religion.christian, 1999-08-04
Press coverage
- Houston Chronicle: Past returns to haunt 'Parent of the Year' — 1999-08-04
- Daily Camera: Parenting Award Controversial — 1999-08-06
- Rocky Mountain News: Longmont dad denies ties to 'happy hookers' — 1999-08-06
- Colorado Springs Gazette: Man who returned parenting award denies ties to cult — 1999-08-07
- The Independent: Parent of the Year `ran camp for cult' — 1999-08-07
- Modesto Bee: Stan State prof suspected of cult link — 2006-12-13
- Modesto Bee: Stan St. lecturer verifies his past with alleged cult — 2007-01-26
- Modesto Bee: Students, experts mixed over teacher — 2007-01-26
Multimedia
Download: 
ABC "Extra" on the Prendergast 'Parent of the Year' controversy (3:12, 1.2MB) — 1999-08-06
This article is a "stub". This means it is an incomplete article needing further elaboration.
You can help xFamily.org by contributing information or writing a more complete article. Please use the Forum to send us content whenever possible.
