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Aurora Author Gives Kids the VIP Treatment

Robert Renteria treats 40 area students to Red Carpet Event.

AURORA, Ill., April 18 /PRNewswire/ -- Forty students from the Aurora School District will be taking their first walk down the red carpet next Friday. No, it's not an adolescent Oscar ceremony or the premiere of the latest Hannah Montana spectacle.

On Friday, April 25, local author and businessman Robert Renteria Jr. is celebrating the publication of his heartfelt life story, From the Barrio to the Board Room, at an event that will literally roll out the red carpet to welcome area dignitaries. Among a crowd that will include Aurora's Mayor, Hon. Thomas J. Weisner, several aldermen, and executive board members from various community organizations, the students will get the VIP treatment at the gala. The festivities are scheduled to include performances by strolling mariachis, Latin dancers and musicians. At least six Latino artists will take temporary residence for the evening and capture the activity on canvasses that will be auctioned later in the evening. Proceeds for this Silent Auction will benefit Hesed House, an Aurora organization that is making a Herculean effort to end homelessness in the Fox Valley region.

Renteria, Co-founder of WashPro USA in Westchester, says the children are an important part of his guest list. He wants them to hear more about his lifelong challenges -- from growing up in the crime-stricken barrio of East L.A. to confronting discrimination while climbing the broken ladder of corporate America.

"The youth of our country -- regardless of race, religion, or gender -- need to know that there are always choices to be made," explains Renteria, who was abandoned by his drug-addicted alcoholic father when he was three. "You can change your destiny by making the right choices. There's a big world out there and you can make the most of it, but you have to work hard and start now."

From the Barrio to the Board Room was published by Writers of the Round Table Press, headquartered in Buffalo Grove, IL. Renteria partnered with the company's "Chairman of the Dream" Corey Blake to craft the story that is already inspiring youth, parents, educators, and community members. Renteria was invited to serve as "Principal For A Day" last fall when the word of his story began to spread. He has addressed students and school administrators, met with political leaders, and has accepted an invitation to narrate a documentary about a group of prison inmates. But his most earnest efforts are still aimed at the children.

"I see both hope and hopelessness in some of their faces," he says. "I know what it feels like to struggle. Life is not always easy but, if you try, you can make it great."

The evening will feature the Silent Auction as well as a Food Drive, with both activities benefiting Hesed House. Students from three schools in the East Aurora District have been gathering non-perishables to contribute to Hesed House's food shelf and donations in the form of gift cards are pouring in from as far away as Florida, Hawaii and New York . Guests are encouraged to support the Food Drive and bring donations to the Barrio Book Launch.

The Barrio Book Launch takes place at Long Island Sound in Aurora on Friday, April 25th, beginning at 7 p.m. Tickets are $30 per person and include a complimentary copy of the book, which Renteria will sign for guests at the event. Hors d'oeuvres and entertainment are included. For information and tickets, go to http://www.fromthebarrio.com/ or email Robert@washprousa.com. To join other community members as a sponsor, contact Sue Publicover at sue@writersoftheroundtable.com or call (207) 752-4802.

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