Layla Groleau’s “Worst Case Scenario Best Life Ever” is a volume of vignettes about two dozen people, the challenges they faced and the ways they overcame them.
The Aurora resident attends St. Katharine Drexel Parish in Sugar Grove,
She opens with a reflection on what inspired her to write the book, saying, “What I have noticed, and I’m not alone, is that the pain, suffering and isolation which so many people are experiencing have prompted self-sacrifice, compassion, and an outpouring of love — such as this generation has never seen.”
Among the stories she shares is "Distilling for Good," about Whiskey Acres near DeKalb. Owned and operated by Nick Nagels, and Jim and Jamie Walter, she talks about their decision to stop making whiskey and switch their operation to hand sanitizer. (See stories in The Observer on April 28, 2017, and May 15, 2020, to learn more about the history of the operation.)
When they realized such a change could be a way Whiskey Acres could support first responders during the pandemic, they did what they needed to -- including jumping a variety of health "hoops" and calling on the aid of a state legislator -- so they could bottle the needed sanitizer.
