Tuffy the Horse - teaching tool, now phonebook 'model'
Dec. 7, 2006
Link to story on website with photos
What does a 4-year-old American Quarter horse named Tuffy have to do with education in Santa Rosa County?
Tuffy, according to his owner Kyle Holley, is a progressive teaching tool and advertising campaign that works cooperatively with the Santa Rosa Education Foundation (SREF), a nonprofit educational organization.
The popular equine is also featured on the 2006-2007 BellSouth Real Yellow Pages companion directory for the Greater Pensacola area. BellSouth donated an advertising package valued at $35,000 to promote SREF which includes the companion cover, a telephone listing for SREF and advertisement inside the main directory.
"Tuffy represents the first time that a Santa Rosa County born community project has earned a cover spot on the well respected publication," Holley said.
The companion, a condensed version of the Real Yellow Pages, features a cover with Tuffy and a group of seven unnamed local school children walking along a pristine Santa Rosa County coastline at sunset. More than 210,000 copies of the directory featuring Tuffy are scheduled to be delivered to local residents and businesses throughout 2006 and 2007.
"BellSouth is unique in the way we choose our cover," said Barb Orton, BellSouth's regional Sales Manager. "It's very important to let the cover represent our community. Tuffy is a recognizable figure that puts a smile on all of our faces."
Tuffy, whose full name is Otoes Tough Man Go, is also registered as a first grade student at East Milton Elementary. However, his owner claims that he "belongs to all students in the county."
Tuffy spends a majority of his time visiting area schools promoting core values and visited Oriole Beach Elementary last month. During personal visits with students, Tuffy's life is used to illustrate concepts like respect, responsibility, caring for all life, empathy, anger management and impulse control, Holley said.
"We try to redefine what tough means. Being tough doesn't mean to be a bully. It's tough to wait your turn. It's tough to be nice," he added.
For more information about Tuffy visit his web page at www.gotuffygo.com. Visit SREF online at www.santarosa. k12.fl.us/sref.
