Eighty-four Walker County soldiers will be home with their families this Thanksgiving thanks to a City of Huntsville-sponsored effort to fund their journey home from training exercises at Fort Bliss in west Texas.

The city began soliciting donations from residents and business owners earlier this month for the “Operation Troop Transport” program, which provides free transportation home for soldiers during the holiday season.

The 72nd Bridge Special Troops battalion of the U.S. National Guard, which is based in Huntsville, is currently training at Fort Bliss in preparation for an upcoming deployment to Iraq.

After two weeks of donations the city capped off their fundraising efforts Friday with a donation check from KSAM 101.7, who held an impromptu fundraiser Thursday to raise more than $5,000 for the program.

KSAM General Manager Steve Everett and Operations Manager Brooke Addams presented the check at City Hall Friday afternoon. Mayor Pro Tem Lanny Ray, Councilmember Dalene Zender and Director of Parks and Recreation Matt Lumpkins accepted the donation on behalf of the city.

“On behalf of the City of Huntsville, and as a veteran, we really appreciate this,” Ray said. “I think this shows what the City of Huntsville can do when we come together as a community.”

City Community Development Specialist Dr. Sherry McKibben, who coordinated the fundraising, said the KSAM donation placed the total money raised at approximately $9,000, and said First State Bank and First National Bank of Huntsville had already pledge to match that donation. The Huntsville Item also contributed funds to the effort.

McKibben said the total amount would be more than enough to transport all of Huntsville’s soldiers. City Manger Bill Baine had previously pledge that any excess funds would be donated to the Texas National Guard Family Resource Group.