Crowds drawn to Alcoa Health Fair

MASSENA — Alcoa apparently had the right prescription when it opened its annual health fair to the community.

"Health and health issues are obviously major concerns for the whole north country, not just for our employees," said Laurie A. Marr, communications and community affairs leader for Alcoa's Massena operations. "So we thought, once we gather all these health providers together and since we were gathering all these wonderful people to give presentations, why not make it available to everybody; why just keep it for our employees?"

Four years ago, Alcoa's Massena operations launched the health fair at the plant, at least in part to reduce health-care costs by educating employees about a variety of areas. This year, for the first time, the two-day fair was open to the public and held at the Massena Community Center.

Community response was a surprise, Ms. Marr said, noting that more than 500 visitors attended the fair's first day Friday, surpassing the company's goal.

A steady stream of visitors kept the exhibit floor packed Saturday morning.

Ms. Marr said she definitely plans for Alcoa to hold another health fair for the community next year.

Among the two dozen exhibitors for this year's event were Massena Memorial Hospital; Claxton-Hepburn Medical Center, Ogdensburg; Canton-Potsdam Hospital, Potsdam; North Country Mobile Mammography; Tri-Lakes Home Medical Equipment, Plattsburgh; St. Lawrence County Public Health; the Central New York Eye and Tissue Bank; Kinney Drugs and Walgreens.

Visitors were able to get free massages, blood-pressure screenings and smoking-cessation kits of nicotine gum, lozenges and patches. Presentations were held on a variety of topics, including breast health, diabetes, common athletic injuries, heart-disease warning signs, stress management, injury prevention and when to go to the doctor.

Face-painting and a children's fire safety house, hosted by the St. Lawrence County Fire Chiefs Association, were available, along with the state police's rollover demonstration that showed just why wearing seat belts is so important.

Friday's activities included a blood drive.

A highlight of Saturday's session was the appearance of Al, a fully functioning robot that is the Alcoa mascot. The 6-foot-tall robot was designed and built by International Robotics Inc. of New York City.

"The purpose of Al is to educate people by circumventing the constraints of social protocols," said Robert M. Doornick, International Robotics founder and president. "Al is employed very successfully in the business world and he gets to travel all over the planet on behalf of Alcoa and be a voice for the industry that Alcoa represents."

Al, much of whom is made of aluminum, can be programmed to move around, perform various functions and speak, but he also can be controlled by a remote, and a wireless microphone allows the operator to carry on conversations through the robot.

Making his first appearance in Massena, Al spent Friday at Madison Elementary School, where students on the robotics team there helped assemble him after his arrival.

"It was astonishing," said Gary A. Reyes, a fifth-grader at Madison and a member of the robotics team who helped put together Al's arms and head. Al was bigger and far more complex than the robot the team is used to working with, he said.

Al especially was a hit with ladies of all ages, especially those who took the opportunity to dance with the robot.

"He's quite the charmer," said Shannon M. Harvey, Massena, who was at the fair with two of her children, Jarrett M., 9, and Caydence O., age 5. "He's a great dancer, very entertaining. I felt light on my feet."

Al was the main reason Ms. Harvey brought her children to the fair, she said, adding that Caydence reminded her Saturday morning that the robot would be on hand.

"She was a bit intimidated at first by his size, because he's so large, but it's all right," Ms. Harvey said.

The last thing 11 year-old Bailey A. McGregor, Massena, expected to see at the health fair was a talking robot who wanted to dance with her.

"It was cool," the Trinity Catholic School fifth-grader said, adding that a robot like Al would be something she would like to have at home.