The national call before you dig number turns 10 this year, and CGA members turned out in force to celebrate 811’s decade of damage prevention on March 15 during the CGA 811 Exca-vation Safety Conference & Expo at the Rosen Shingle Creek in Orlando, Florida.
More than 750 CGA members attended 811’s 10th Anniversary Celebration, which featured carnival- themed food, drinks, performers and games, as well as the debut of the 811 Hot Air Balloon (courtesy of Cox Utility Services), the raffling off of a signed Shell- Pennzoil No. 22 decklid featuring 811’s 10th anniversary logo, and a live vote for the 811 Video Challenge’s
People’s Choice award.
Five 811 Video Challenge finalist submissions were shown on Virginia 811’s video display truck. Emcee JJ Harrison, the Rodeo Clown, led attendees through videos by Texas811, Miss Utility of Maryland/D.C., North Carolina 811, the American Gas Association and Rhino Marking and Protection Systems. Attendees then voted by text, awarding Texas811 the coveted 811 Video Challenge People’s Choice Award. Visit 811videochallenge.com to view all of the challenge’s award winners and submissions.
Attendees also had the opportunity to grab a cupcake from beneath a hand-iced 811 hot air
balloon replica, take selfies with a massive “I am 811” sign, and stroll through a gallery of photos documenting 811’s first decade as the nation’s call before you dig number.
CGA would like to thank Timeless and hospitality sponsor USIC, along with additional spon-sors of the event: Arizona 811, Colorado 811, ELM Locating, Energy Transfer, MGH, New York 811, One Call Concepts, Progressive Partners, Shell Pipeline Company LP, Sunshine 811, UGI, Underground Safety Alliance (Indiana 811 and Kentucky 811) and Verizon.
As we launch the next decade of damage prevention, CGA looks forward to working with its sponsors and members to protect buried infrastructure and the people who dig near it.
