It was a beautiful day for a beautiful event at 801 Ocean on Monday, May 22nd, as FOLSOI hosted Wilmington author Dana Sachs to speak about her newest book, All Else Failed: The Unlikely Volunteers at the Heart of the Migrant Aid Crisis.
More than 40 people listened and asked questions as Dana recounted the horrendous conditions that desperate people had to endure at refugee camps in Greece, after fleeing their homes in war-torn Syria during 2015-2018. But Dana’s message was one of hope, resilience, and inspiration. She gave examples of “everyday people” who flew to Greece from England, Australia, the US, and Europe to volunteer in any way possible.
She also spoke about refugees who, when forced to remain in camps as the borders into Europe shut down, stepped up to join the volunteer movement. And while it was all very chaotic in the beginning, eventually aid groups coalesced and basic needs were somehow taken care of.
To honor the spirit of compassion and humanity that defined this book, attendees were given a “kindness matters” ornament and one lucky guy (Robert Barnes) won a gift basket full of items from local businesses with humanitarian connections, including coffee from Bitty & Beau’s Coffee (advocates for people with intellectual disabilities), a ceramic planter from One Thousand Villages (supporting female artisans in third world countries), a woven bag from Rice Love (on a mission to eradicate hunger), and a signed copy of Dana’s book.
A big shout out to Pomegranate Books of Wilmington, who came down to sell copies of All Else Failed and then donated the profits to the author’s charity, Humanity Now: Direct Refugee Relief.
It’s rare that an author has the ability to move people through speech as effectively as through their written words, but Dana Sachs did just that. She made us aware that individuals can always make a difference, and she encouraged us to consider volunteering in some fashion, as the rewards almost always outweigh the challenges we may face. All Else Failed: The Unlikely Volunteers at the Heart of the Migrant Aid Crisis” is available at Barbee Library. To learn more about the author’s charity, visit www.humanity-now.org.