Page 11 - LA811 2023 issue 1

Inaugural
Trailblazer Award Martha “DOTTIE” Davis
By Thelma Coleman
D(left to right) Thelma Coleman, Martha “Dottie” Davis, David Frey
uring the late 70’s to the mid 80’s Martha Nelson Bonfanti Davis started the amazing journey as
a marketing symbol for the Call Before you Dig program! Martha worked tirelessly day and night
attending many meetings, appearing on tv shows, speaking
on radio stations and building a marketing strategy that would become legendary. The marketing efforts were designed to speak to excavators about the need to call before digging as well as speaking to facility owners concerning the need to participate in a notification program on the other
end. The media outlets around the state were also excited about promoting this newly created advertisement. This concept would send the message about preventing damage to underground facilities with one single call. Visits were made to all TV and radio stations around the state and there was an overwhelming response to assist with pushing this message forward. It was often commented that she could do an entire segment in one take with no edits required. With Martha at the forefront of the brand-new call before you dig program and the face of the new advertising concept, she embraced
the assignment and became an icon in the damage prevention industry all across the state of Louisiana.
I can personally tell the story because I was there in 1978 a few months after the startup. When I was transferred out
and left the program for a year, Martha bid me farewell and we cried together. So, this is a personal honor as well as one most deserving of the person that we come to know and love as DOTTIE. At this time, I want to introduce to some and present to others, my friend, my former supervisor, my mentor and the One Call ICON called DOTTIE, Ms. Martha Nelson Davis.
2023, Issue 1
Louisiana 811
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