Renew and Rise Retreat April 2026
Every now and then, you have to stop running and just breathe.
That is exactly what nine incredible women veterans did April 17 – 19, 2026, when Invisible Warriors headed to Crest View Lodge and Venue atop Lookout Mountain in Fort Payne, Alabama, for our first annual Renew and Rise Retreat.
"Y'all, it was exactly what we needed."
Friday Arrival
From the moment we checked in Friday afternoon, the whole energy shifted. No schedules to chase, no obligations pulling us in ten directions. Just women who get it, in a gorgeous private setting, with nothing on the agenda but taking care of ourselves and each other. We settled in, connected, and sat down together for the first of many meals we would share that weekend.
Saturday: Rest, Renewal, and Real Talking
Saturday morning started with a continental breakfast, Tai Chi on the mountain, and then a sit-down breakfast for anyone who wanted to keep going. That became the rhythm of the weekend, and it was a good one. We had a health program focused on the best ways to take care of your body, along with some time set aside just for pampering. Treat yourself, for real. Then came a talk about decluttering your life, your body, and your mind, which hit a lot of us right where we needed it.
After lunch, women had a choice between hiking in the beautiful park right next to the venue or working on an art project. Both groups came back glowing. That evening we had dinner together and watched Served Like a Girl in the lodge’s movie room.
"If you have not seen that film with a room full of women veterans, I highly recommend it. There was not a dry eye, and there did not need to be."
Sunday: Reflecting and Sharing
Sunday morning brought Tai Chi again, breakfast, and then something really special: time to reflect, journal, and share our takeaways from the weekend. That circle of voices, those women being honest about what they were carrying and what they were leaving behind, that is what Invisible Warriors is all about.
We also played dominoes and Phase 10 like we had something to prove, and the competition was fierce. The laughter was even fiercer.
"Our speakers were women veterans, which is always the most powerful thing we can offer each other. No one has to explain the context. No one has to translate the experience. You just talk, and the room already knows."
No uniforms. No ranks. No judgment.
Just support. That is what we promised, and that is what we delivered.
With Deep Gratitude
None of this would have been possible without the extraordinary generosity of Drake State Community & Technical College. Their grant funding covered a tremendous portion of this retreat, and we are so deeply grateful. We want to especially recognize Azra, Neoka, and Susan, whose belief in Invisible Warriors and in the women we serve goes far beyond writing a check. They show up for us, they champion what we are building, and they make it possible for our women to have weekends like this one. Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts.
"If you are a woman veteran who has never been to an IW retreat, that needs to change. This is what we are here for: not just the resources and the advocacy, but the moments where you remember you are not alone."
You never were alone, and you never will be as long as we have each other.
Renew and Rise. We did exactly that.
With gratitude,
Nancy, Founder and President of Invisible Warriors
Renew and Rise Retreat April 2026
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