Story and photos by Pat Donahue.

As neighbors stacked sand bags in the back of a pickup, other Live Oak Plantation townhomes residents handed out bottles of water, pizza and paper goods to any one stopping by in need.

Their neighborhood is one of many in Richmond Hill battling rising waters as the Ogeechee and Canoochee rivers surged over their banks, a result of Tropical Storm Debby’s overwhelming rainfall.

“It floods on a good rain,” Julia Sanders said, “but never like this. During the tropical storm, it came up and an hour later it was gone. So it drained fast. Now, it’s standing water. It’s not going anywhere.”

The neighbors of the community have been helping out each other. Sanders said they got two truckloads of sandbags Sunday “and drove around and said, ‘who needs ‘em?’”

The spirit of willingness to help also has been reassuring to Sanders, who has lived at Live Oak for two years, and lived in Chatham County before that.

“We’ve been helping out each other. I’ve met neighbors I’ve never known,” she said.

After putting out a post on social media, they’ve also gotten help from strangers, dropping off ice, water, and other supplies.

“It’s amazing to see neighbors helping neighbors,” she said.