Page 11 - MS811

Introducing the New Spokeshovel for Mississippi 811
Coming soon to radio, billboard and print ads near you is the latest star of Mississippi 811. For more than 40 years, Mississippi 811 has emphasized
call before you dig and once it has been marked, dig safely. With all the focus on the infrastructure bill
and projected increase of fiber going into the ground, Mississippi 811 President, Fred Johnson said, “With so much excavation going on in the state, it was obvious we needed a recognizable and believable expert to keep all of us focused on digging safe... every dig and every time.”
Sammy the Shovel was born to be a spokeshovel for Mississippi 811. Long before he took this cushy job, he was just a blue-collar shovel who showed up every day on the excavation site leaning against the work truck watching the fancy equipment moving lots of dirt in a hurry. But he knew he would be called upon soon to do what those high- powered machines couldn’t do. Yes, it was just a matter of time before he would hear a foreman say, “Get your shovel and expose that line.” He was that indispensable tool for all the detailed-oriented tasks no matter how big the job. He knew how important he was for preventing damage to underground infrastructure.
Sammy’s days of working those long hours on the job came to an end as his handle began to crack and his blade grew a bit dull. So, what was a shovel to do? He didn’t want to be that shovel in the back of a work truck buried beneath all the new tools, left to rust away. No sir, not this shovel! He wanted to share his experiences and perspectives about safe digging with all stakeholders in the industry.
Fred believes in second chances. He knew this shovel had stories to tell. When asked what he thought best qualified Sammy to be his spokeshovel, he thought for a moment and said, “Sammy has a magnetic personality, a face you can’t forget, and he’s never been in a hole that he couldn’t dig his way out of... safely.”
Be on the lookout for Sammy the Shovel. Come on Sammy... inspire us!
2023, Issue 4
Mississippi 811 • 9