As the company often seems to be, the Liebert Corporation was in a giving mood this week.

The Ironton business presented three charitable donations in hopes of continuing to improve the community in which it operates.

First to receive a check was Ohio University Southern, being represented by Assistant Dean for Development Bob Smith.

Representatives of Liebert gifted the school with a check for $3,000 which Smith said would be put towards a training center being incorporated into the new OUS Proctorville Center.

Another $3,000 donation was made to The Lawrence County Open Door School, a school specifically for children with mental retardation or developmental disabilities.

A check for $1,000 was collected by Jack Borders, representing the Lawrence Economic Development Corporation.

Borders said the gift, which he described as, "very helpful," would go towards the LEDC's continuing mission to improve economic conditions in Lawrence County.

"Economic support means more industry, more businesses small and large," Borders said. "More business means more money, more money doesn't always mean a better quality of life - but it can."

It was an unusual assortment of groups, but Liebert Human Resource Representative Kathleen Dempsey said it was important to her company that they aid in all facets of the county.

"Today was about helping

our community out, that's the bottom line," Dempsey said. "We had three very different organizations that we were able to present with charitable contributions, and, bottom line, it's helping our community."

Though the $7,000 total being donated was a considerable bit of generosity, the Liebert representatives, like Kathy Caudill, general accountant, seemed more than happy to give it away.

"It's nice to be able to give back to the community, to our neighbors," Caudill said. "We do other things besides that, but it's nice to be able to give back to others in the community."

As all parties left the gathering smiling, what Borders said makes even more sense: Money does not necessarily mean happiness but it certainly doesn't hurt.