Essar Steel- Everything’s A-OK

Every year, the Sault’s own summer festival livens up the city. Filling the streets with live entertainment, carnival rides and much more, Rotaryfest provides the residents of the Sault with a weekend of fun and entertainment. The parade is a staple of Rotaryfest, and as a corporate sponsor, Essar Steel Algoma looks forward each year to submitting a float in the community day parade. Despite forecasted rain and thunderstorms for this past Saturday, the skies were clear and the sun was shining- a perfect day for a parade! Not that a cloudy skies forecast was dampening anyone’s spirit; all those participating in the parade knew that it never rains on a parade. The sweltering heat didn’t stop the thousands of people from lining Queen Street to catch a glimpse of Television Memories on Queen and join in the celebration. It was a hot walk for those who chose to walk- especially those donning a costume. Big Bird, Cookie Monster, Elmo, Bert and Ernie were troopers!

Leading our parade float was Oscar the Grouch, attached to the front of the transport. Keeping cool in his garbage can, he sneaked sporadic peeks at the crowd.

Thanks again to the Rotarians who bring this community together in celebration year after year and thank you to all of the talented and enthusiastic Essar Steel Algoma employees who helped to make everything A-OK.

See below for photos from parade day.

Once the parade ended on Saturday, something else very exciting was happening on Russ Ramsay Way. The Rotary Arch was being unveiled. This arch has special significance to the City of Sault Ste. Marie because it pays homage to the history of Sault Ste. Marie. The Arch was originally built in 1937 and used to welcome those entering the Sault via ferry, including Queen Elizabeth herself. Essar Steel Algoma played a special role in the Rotary Arch coming to life, donating the steel and craftsmanship of our employees who built and erected this historic landmark.

Also, a special thank-you to Sterling Crane and Trans pro for their help in this project!

See below for photos from the unveiling ceremony.

ribbon about to be cut, left to right, Jim Hrusovsky, CEO, Essar Steel Algoma Inc. ; Debbie Amaroso, Mayor, City of Sault Ste. Marie; Rotaryfest Committe Members

Essar Steel Algoma Inc. CEO Jim Hrusovsky speaks at Rotary Arch unveiling ceremony

Big Bird headbands in progress

Sesame Street float sign in the Carpentry Department prior to its attachment to the float

float outside of Carpentry, in the process of being assembled

Oscar the Grouch, seen in the Carpentry department before being attached to the front of the transport.

Jay and Misty Roberts, Yip Yip hooray!

Noah Cadham, Big Bird for a day

Cookie Monster, AKA- Gideon Down

the Parade Crew, outside the Essar House just before the parade is about to begin

2011’s Scholarship of Excellence Recipients: Off to a Shining Start

Essar is pleased to introduce the 2011 Scholarship of Excellence Recipients

(left to right: Lucas Buffone, Maia Stevenson, Andrew Pozzebon, Thomas Roy)

Last year was Essar Steel Algoma’s Scholarship of Excellence program’s inaugural year.

The program was developed to give students in Essar communities an academically and personally rewarding growth opportunity. The Scholarship of Excellence is offered to local high school students who plan to continue their education at a university or college upon graduation. Recipients are selected based on academic performance, extracurricular activities and community involvement, and first consideration is given to a child, grandchild or legal ward of an Essar employee or retiree.

The Scholarship of Excellence program is made up of two scholarship opportunities: the Scholarship of Distinction (for students attending university) and the Scholarship of Merit (for students attending college). Students from all local high schools are eligible to apply for the scholarship.

This year, four outstanding students were chosen by our Scholarship Committee as recipients of this prestigious award:

Lucas Buffone- St. Basil- Scholarship of Distinction Recipient
Thomas Roy- St. Mary’s- Scholarship of Merit Recipient
Andrew Pozzebon- St. Mary’s- Scholarship of Merit Recipient
Maia Stevenson- White Pines- Scholarship of Distinction Recipient

Lucas, whose father Lou is a current employee of Essar Steel Algoma, plans to attend the University of Toronto in the fall and is enrolled in the life sciences program. Lucas has high hopes of attending medical school in the future and becoming a doctor in his hometown of Sault Ste. Marie. He sees this as a way of “giving back to the community”.

Thomas Roy is attending Sault College in the fall and is studying in the electrical engineering, process automation program. Like his father Ron Roy, Thomas hopes to one day work at Essar Steel Algoma. He says that the Scholarship of Excellence program will allow him to focus more on studying and not worrying so much about the financial aspect of attending school.

Andrew Pozzebon heard about the Scholarship of Excellence opportunity through his high school guidance councilor. He is moving to Sudbury in the fall to attend Cambrian College, where he will major in power engineering. Andrew plans to get his stationary engineering certificate and “return home and work in the Sault”. He also is grateful for the financial help that the scholarship provides, allowing him to focus more on school. Andrew’s grandfather Armando Pozzebon is a retiree of Essar Steel Algoma.

Maia Stevenson is attending McMaster University in the fall, and is majoring in arts and science. She plans to major in Psychology in her second year, and one day hopes to work in the psychology field. Her grandfather Luciano Morassut, a retiree of Essar Steel Algoma told her about the scholarship opportunity and encouraged her to apply. Maia says that being the recipient of the Scholarship of Distinction has “given her confidence going into her first year”. She finds it deeply encouraging that Essar Steel Algoma “trusts her to succeed in her academic career”. She also has a “sense of security knowing that she has support from the Sault”.

The Scholarship of Excellence program is renewable for the term of each student’s degree, and is subject to minimum performance requirements.

Essar Steel Algoma is sending best wishes to Lucas, Thomas, Andrew and Maia as they follow their dreams! We look forward to following their progress