LANCASTER, S.C. Thanks in large measure to the largess of Lancaster Trailways, a local tour bus operator, members of a National Guard unit bound for Afghanistan early in 2010 got to spend Christmas with family and friends.

Lancaster Trailways not only transported the soldiers home from their training base at Fort McCoy in Wisconsin, but cut the price of the charter by $10,000 and contributed another $5,000 for the project.

"These soldiers have sacrificed so much for us," Frankie Sistare, senior sales representative at Lancaster Trailways told the local newspaper. "We ought to open our hearts and make sure the soldiers get home to see their families for the holidays."

The move involved four coaches and eight drivers to transport the 200 soldiers. Some of the drivers donated their time, Sistare said.

Lancaster Trailways also was able to help raise additional money through banks and other bus companies to make the trip possible.

"I think its wonderful," Sistare said. "Christmas is a special season for a lot of reasons. This is probably the best gift we could give to anyone, and it feels good to be able to do something for someone else. You get that good feeling in your heart when you do something like this, sharing the happiness of the Christmas season."

The holiday homecoming effort began when it was learned that members of the 1222nd Combat Engineers, which includes soldiers from South Carolinas Lancaster and York counties, would not be able to make it home for the holidays before they are deployed to Afghanistan.

The unit needed upwards of $35,000 to make a bus trip home. The military would not pay for it; the money needed to come from elsewhere.

The families went to work to raise the money, but they got a shocking surprise when they learned that donors, including Lancaster Trailways and Lowes Home Improvement, had came through for the unit in a big way.

Lowes donated $25,000.

Mooresville, N.C.-based Lowes was founded by a World War II veteran, Carl Buchan, and 12,000 veterans work for the company, Lowes spokeswoman Julie Yenichek told The Lancaster News.

Corporate executives heard about the homecoming project through store employees, Yenichek said.

"We are very happy to do it," Yenichek said. "Theres no better place to be than home with family for the holidays, right?"

Individuals contributed another $10,000.

"Were just thankful to the people of Lancaster, Rock Hill and York for pulling together to give us the chance to see my son, and these husbands and fathers for Christmas," said Sandra Collins of Lancaster through tears. Her son, Christopher, serves in the unit.

"We live in a great country and God is good."