Name: Overcoming Challenges With Grit and Grace (in-person)
Start: 2026-03-28T08:30:00-05:00
End: 2026-03-28T15:00:00-05:00
Location: Franciscan Spirituality Center

Overcoming Challenges With Grit and Grace (in-person)

Our annual conference is a celebration of all women who have faced obstacles and ordeals yet preserved, kept the faith and emerged more resilient. Join us for an incredible day of wisdom, self-care and inspirational stories of grit and grace.
Keynote speaker: Sara Alvarado
Additional presenters: Sarah Smith and Heather Nisely
Plus: Bernice Olson-Pollack, yoga instructor and personal trainer, will lead guests in gentle body movement during a mindfulness break. Jolynn Brehm, a Franciscan Sister of Perpetual Adoration and spiritual director, will lead guests in a creativity activity.
Doors open at 8:30 a.m., and the event begins at 9 a.m.
Investment: $75, includes continental breakfast and lunch
Coffee, tea and water will be available throughout the day.
You are welcome to extend your experience with an overnight stay for an additional $75 per night. Call 608-791-5295 for details.
www.FSCenter.org | 608-791-5295
Direct link to registration: https://fsc.retreatportal.com/calendar/event?programcode=26SXD09481
ABOUT THE PRESENTERS:
Keynote speaker Sara Alvarado is a writer, entrepreneur and fierce advocate for racial justice in real estate. She will share her story of how, at age 24, she bought a one-way ticket from the Midwest to Mexico, determined to heal from years of hard partying and sexual trauma. In 2023, Sara published her memoir, “Dreaming in Spanish: An Unexpected Love Story in Puerto Vallarta.” She is the co-founder and director of Own It: Building Black Wealth, a groundbreaking initiative to increase generational wealth in Black and brown communities through homeownership. Through her speaking and workshops, Sara creates awareness and inspires change with her straight talk and loving ways.
Sarah Smith was a student in Viterbo’s nursing program in 2001 when she was brutally attacked and stabbed by a stranger while jogging in the La Crosse River Marsh. She’ll share her story of healing and how, as an avid outdoorswoman, she continues to find strength and solace in nature. As she worked through her trauma, Sarah completed college and now works at Emplify Gundersen and in the La Crescent School District. Her boyfriend at the time, Travis, became her life partner, and they share two adult children. When she's not at work, she is most often hiking with her dogs or writing a letter.
Heather Nisely is a proud veteran of the United States Army. Throughout her service, she faced significant challenges, including military sexual trauma and intimate partner violence during her 18-year marriage—experiences that tested her limits. It was her unwavering grit and dedication to cultivating inner peace that enabled her to navigate these hardships. Heather often hikes as a way to connect with something larger than herself and to practice mindfulness, a discipline that restores and rejuvenates her spirit. She looks forward to sharing her journey of resilience and strength, and is honored to be part of this empowering event.