It has been said that in times of trouble, you learn who your real friends are.

And Vicksburg has found friends in Hinds County and the senior class at St. Aloysius.

This morning, 10 volunteer workers from the Hinds County Public Works Department and a group of seniors from St. Aloysius began working along city building maintenance employees filling and placing sandbags at the Yazoo & Mississippi Valley Depot on Levee Street, part of an effort to protect the building from flood waters when the Mississippi River reaches its 52.5-foot crest here on Jan. 15.

These workers are part of a larger group of organizations and local businesses working to protect areas in the city from flooding as the river rises.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is providing a pump to remove water from the depot’s basement, and Red Cross volunteers will provide lunch for the workers at the depot.

In the southern part of the city, local businesses and industries around the Green Meadow Subdivision area are filling sandbags and capping culverts in that area not only to protect their businesses but the homes in that are located off U.S. 61 South. The industries will also provide workers to man the pumps on the makeshift levee that was built in the 2011 flood to remove seepage. The Corps is providing the pumps and the city is providing the sandbags.

All of these groups deserve a pat on the back for being willing to work for the good of the community instead of sitting back and waiting for the city or Warren County or someone else to come in at the last minute. The Hinds County workers deserve special praise for dropping what they’re doing in their home county to help a neighbor in need.

It speaks well for them and the community and this area that so many people are willing to pitch in and give a helping hand to minimize the potential danger and damage that could evolve from this winter flood.

All these volunteers deserve our highest gratitude.