Tera Martinez, center, was the winning mother in the Mommy Makeover essay contest in early May. After a pedicure and facial, the women at A-Diva Salon and Day Spa  from left, Candice Lay, Tiffany Downing, Shannon Duby  started on her hair while Christine Whiting, seated, worked on her nails. The prize included a full-service package from A-Diva Salon and Day Spa, the Sweetheart Package from the Sunridge Inn, a new outfit from Maurices, a limo ride from Baker Valley Limousine, a bouquet from The Flower Box and a teeth-whitening kit from Baker Dental Group. Duby, who owns A-Diva, organized the contest and plans to offer it again next year. (Baker City Herald/Kathy Orr).

By LISA BRITTON

Of the Baker City Herald

Tera Martinez cried when she found out she’d won the makeover, she cried when she read her daughter’s nomination letter, and she darn near teared up when she retold the story on Friday.

The urge to cry, however, proved no match for the upcoming facial, haircut and color, pedicure, manicure and the chance to wear her brand-new outfit.

andquot;I’m not used to this much attention,andquot; Martinez said with a laugh as three women fussed over her brown locks. andquot;This is every mother’s dream ‘just pamper me, please.’ This isn’t stuff you ever do yourself you know, guilt. There’s always something else you need to buy.andquot;

Martinez, a single mother of four children age 15, 14, 12 and 11 who works two jobs and volunteers for a third, was chosen from 26 nominations submitted for the Mommy Makeover essay contest held in early May.

andquot;There were a lot of great moms. It was hard to choose,andquot; said Shannon Duby, who owns A-Diva salon and organized the contest by soliciting support and prizes from local businesses.

andquot;It was a neat thing for the community to do,andquot; Duby said.

Martinez’s daughter Alicia submitted the winning essay.

She wrote, in part: andquot;I think that my mom deserves this Mother’s Day prize more than anybody in this world. My mom works very, very hard and even goes out of her way to help others. My mom does not go shopping for herself very often because she thinks that we deserve the best and nothing but the best.andquot;

Alicia told her mom she’d entered the contest.

andquot;But she wouldn’t let me read it,andquot; Martinez said. andquot;When they came to my work I was crying everybody was crying.andquot;

Then she got to read the nomination letter.

andquot;It made me cry,andquot; she said with a smile. andquot;I have awesome kids we have to be a team, us five, just to make it.andquot;

Martinez works in the Baker City office for the state self-sufficiency programs; is the Spanish-English translator for Blue Mountain Addictions; and volunteers as a translator at St. Elizabeth Health Services. Up until two months ago, she also worked at the Chevron stations.

andquot;Up until a couple months ago, I worked seven days a week for three years,andquot; she said.

This is what Martinez won: three hours of pampering at A-Diva; the Sweetheart Package from the Sunridge Best Western Inn; a gift certificate for an outfit from Maurices; a limousine ride from Baker Valley Limousine; a bouquet from The Flower Box; and a teeth-whitening kit from Baker Dental Group.

When Martinez stepped from the dressing room with her new clothes, new hairdo, new makeup and newly painted nails, she couldn’t contain her smiles.

andquot;Thank you so much for everything, everyone,andquot; she said. andquot;I feel pretty for once.andquot;

Something for every mother

Duby said it was tough to choose just one mother. So every nominated woman received a gift.

She also sent the nomination letters to each mom.

andquot;I felt like they should have the letter back. We were touched by all of the them,andquot; Duby said.

The letters were submitted by daughters, mothers, aunts and friends who all felt they knew a woman who could deserve a little pampering.

Here’s some excerpts:

andquot;I know you guys probably received thousands of these heart-wrenching stories, but I just love my mom more then these words or anything in the world could express, and I just want her to actually have a day away from everything she has to do and live a little.andquot; (By Kayla Koos)

andquot;She has been spending way too much time on other people but herself. She should also win because she is the best most loving mother in the world. And I would not like to live anywhere else but with my mother.andquot; (By Kayla Dolby)

andquot;In all my years growing up, I have never known my mother to do anything for herself. She even still has the eighties style hair and clothes because she would rather spend her money on one of her three children or her husband.andquot; (By Danielle Pifher and signed by 16 others who agreed.)

Duby plans to hold this contest again next year and said more businesses have already expressed interest in contributing gifts for the winning mother.