Posted: Mon, 10 May 2010 08:51 AM - 8,499 Readers

By: Isadora Vail

For Rosario Montoya, there was no place she would have rather been on Mother's Day than on a 22-acre piece of land near Lake Travis with her daughter.

Montoya was one of about 80 people who attended the "Mamma, I love you!" Mother's Day event, which featured pampering, relaxing scenery and live music at the Alma de Mujer Retreat Center on Sunday. It was sponsored by Latinitas Magazines and Bemba Entertainment.

"It was worth the drive," said Montoya, who came from Corpus Christi.

Organizers were charging $20 a car, with the proceeds going to scholarships for high school girls who want to attend a multimedia workshop at the retreat center this summer.

"It is an interesting event — very informative," Montoya said. "It's just really nice to get together with all these women and share their talents and knowledge."

The day included herbal workshops, belly dancing classes, live music, health and wellness classes, massages, song-writing lessons and yoga.

Suzanna Choffel performed at the end of the day, just as raindrops started to fall.

"I thought this was a really great idea, and it is so beautiful out here," Choffel said. "I don't know of very many Mother's Day events like this one, you know. It's not a lot of money, and mothers can actually relax out here or go to a workshop while the kids play."

The retreat center is near RM 2222 and has a healing garden and several cabins that are available for weekend events.

Maribel Garza is the director of the Indigenous Women's Network, the organization that runs the center. She said it was the second year for the Mother's Day event, and although they didn't get the turnout they were hoping for, she said it is important to help celebrate mothers and women.

"Our mission here is huge, but locally, we try to bring in women to learn more about healing," Garza said.

Jamie Fierro and her 10-year-old daughter, Frankie Reyna, were some of the last people at the center. Reyna was tossing up a volleyball while Choffel sang in the background and Montoya sat listening on the back of her car.

"It was really a perfect day to come out here and have a picnic," Fierro said. "I think the cause is great, and this place is perfect to have an event like this."

Montoya, the mother who drove in from South Texas, said she enjoyed the day, especially watching her daughter teach a belly dancing class.

Her daughter, Sandra Campos, is an intern at the retreat center.

"Today has been a sweet day with my mom," Campos said. "We took a couple classes together, and the people here at the center are a lot like hanging out with family."

photography by Laura Skelding