Having a Made-in-America operation at Mansfield Plumbing means we have four locations in the U.S. — three in Ohio and one in Texas. Offering support to the communities where our sanitaryware and bathware plants are based means providing product donations and cash contributions to worthwhile organizations, groups and community efforts.

Top of mind for this ongoing effort is a focus on education. We venture to support students, teachers and school programs continually throughout the year, with our annual scholarship program playing a key role.

Each year, employees are encouraged to have their children who will be entering college submit applications for consideration of $1,000 each in scholarship money. Since the program started several years ago for first-year college students, we've awarded almost $20,000 in scholarships to deserving students.

For the 2015-2016 school year, the recipients with parents working at the Mansfield location in Perrysville, Ohio include:

Kolton Edmondson: Son of Rod Edmondson, the Model Shop Manager at Mansfield Plumbing, Kolton is attending Ashland University to study accounting. His father has been a valuable member of the company for 32 years.

Zackary Lane: Son of Jeremy Lane, a Supervisor in the Raw Material Processing Department, Zackary is enrolled at Kent State University studying pre-med and public health. His father has worked at Mansfield Plumbing for more than 20 years.

Abigail Sgro: Daughter of Don Coots, a Lead/VRP in the Capillary Bench Cast Department, Abigail is studying criminal justice at Ashland University. Her father has been employed with the company for more than two years.

Lauren Thompson: Daughter of Raymond Thompson, a Finisher in the Bench and Battery Cast department at Mansfield Plumbing, Lauren is attending Kent State University to study nursing. Her father joined the company earlier this year.

In addition to yearly scholarships, Mansfield continuously supports programs both large and small that relate to education. Funds have been donated so far this year to the Loudonville-Perrysville School Foundation's "Senior Project," Ashland City Schools Alumni Foundation for their Distinguished Alumni Award Program, Mapleton School District for their music program, and Loudonville High School Post Prom Committee.

Other funds from our company are dedicated to groups with a shared goal of providing support for educational programs. One example is our support of the Loudonville Lions Club as it hosted a Golf Scramble with the goal of raising scholarship funds for graduating seniors.

Oftentimes, our efforts extend outside of the traditional classroom situation and onto the ball field. We're a sponsor of the Ashland Arrow Softball Team, Madison Summer Baseball/Softball team, and Mansfield Southwest Little League. The Danville Athletic Boosters, Henderson Dynamo U14 Soccer Team, and Clear Fork Youth Soccer have also benefitted from Mansfield's financial donations.

While cash contributions are always appreciated by local organizations, we especially like to donate products that can be used in conjunction with fundraising efforts and other projects. This year, we donated toilets and sinks to students with the Ashland County-West Holmes Career Center. The high school students installed the products in a modular home that they constructed as part of their building trade training. The home was sold after construction to benefit the training program.

Toilets have also been donated this year to several other community programs to serve as raffle prizes, including those donated to the Lucas Cub Scout Pac 539 for their annual auction and to the Buckhaven Learning Center.

For all Mansfield donations, whether cash or product, the highest consideration is given to programs where our employees are actively involved as volunteers and where students of our employees participate. By supporting our community's educational efforts on a variety of levels, Mansfield Plumbing is planting the seeds for continued successful growth of our company and the education of our children.

Natalie Thomas is vice president of Human Resources at Mansfield Plumbing.