2018 B2P

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AVISPAS COMMUNITY

BRIDGES TO PROSPERITY

Santa Cruz, Bolivia Ten Balfour Beatty employees from around the company and who serve a variety of roles are gathering to travel to Santa Cruz to kick off the bridge build adventure.

Flight Info Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Quisque porttitor facilisis urna in cursus.

Cochabamba, Bolivia The team will rent trucks and journey up and over the Andes Mountains, eventually arriving in Avispas via Route 4.

Avispas, Bolivia

Friday Scattered Thunderstorms

°F | °C

THE NEED

Avispas Community After a six-hour journey, the team reaches their build destination.

The residents of Espiritu Santo are fishermen and farmers who grow various crops including cassava, pineapples, bananas, oranges, avocados, and papayas to provide for their families. The Espiritu Santo River is too dangerous to cross year-round and eliminates access to community services including markets, schools, and healthcare. Currently, the locals use a make-shift zipline to cross the river and tote heavy pouches of goods and products back and forth between local villages. The river has taken two lives and there have been 10 people injured during attempted crossings over the past three years. The Espiritu Santo Suspended Bridge will provide safe, year-round access for over 1,400 members of these communities, providing enhanced opportunities for trade and welfare which empowers the communities to grow and thrive. SEE THE ZIPLINE SYSTEM HERE >

Hover and click above to see the day-by-day progress and updates from the team

DAY 1

We made it to Avispas! We were recieved with a very warm welcome and applause. As a team we expressed what an honor it is to have the opportunity to help them build their safe passage.

ADDRESSING THE NEEDS OF A COMMUNITY

FROM OUR TEAM

The company’s first bridge build was in 2017 from which we gained tremendous insights and lessons learned as to what it takes to help a community become connected. The 2018 team is ready to tackle the bridge build and help the Espiritu Santo communities. Already, our planning journey has been extremely rewarding and we can’t wait to make a true impact on bettering the lives in this community. Our missions with Bridges to Prosperity have become a true passion project for our employees. The entire company has rallied behind us to make sure we are set up for success. Future bridge building missions will likely continue to be in Bolivia where demands and needs remains high. Thank you to all our sponsors and supports – it is on the strength of your backing that this team of 10 is ready to tackle the world – one bridge at a time.

SPONSORS

Thank you to our 2018 sponsors. You’ve given us a solid foundation to change the prosperity of a deserving community.

A POSTCARD

THANKS FOR CHEERING ON THE TEAM!

THE BUILD: DAY-BY-DAY

GENERATOR

DRONE

CORDLESS DRILLS

CIRCULAR SAWS

METRIC TAPES

MEDIC BAGS

HARD HATS

SAFETY GLASSES

SAFETY GLOVES

SAFETY VESTS

SUNSCREEN BOTTLES

BUG SPRAY BOTTLES

Aside from grit and determination, we will take with us:

Blog 1:

Ten strangers, two days and one major goal

LINK

Final thoughts on the 2018 B2P Journey

Blog 2:

Bridges to Prosperity team wrap-up: Highs and lows

Blog 3:

Discuss Building Bridges to Prosperity

UK TEAMMATES

LINK

Brad Vawter Safety Lead

Jennifer Rhoads Fundraising Lead

Rosa Pena Communications Lead

Ted O'Donnell Generalist

Aaron Neeley Construction Lead

Tommy MacCabe Generalist

Daniel Gonzalez Generalist

Andy Brown Logistics Lead

Brandon Boggs Generalist

Aislinn Smith Project Lead

Motto: It's never wrong to do the right thing. Biggest anticipation about the build: I’m hopeful I don’t get eaten alive by mosquitos. As much as I’ll be sweating I’m not sure I’ll be able to keep any repellant on. On the positive side I’m looking forward to the relationships that will be built in the community. I love this kind of work. Three things you can’t live without: Air, water, and coffee beans.

Motto: Be the CEO of your own life! Biggest anticipation about the build: The journey with my team, experiencing the culture. Three things you can’t live without: Love, Laughter and Macaroni and Cheese!

Motto: “When I dare to be powerful, to use my strength in the service of my vision, then it becomes less and less important whether I am afraid.” – Audre Lorde Biggest anticipation about the build: Excited about putting work into the bridge that will positively impacting the lives of an entire community for generations to come. And mosquito bites. Three things you can’t live without: Coffee, hot sauce, water for coffee.

Motto: “Getting there is half the fun” It's not just words to describe a Griswold vacation. It describes my philosophy in achieving any task whether it’s in your career or in your personal life. Always enjoy the journey more than the destination because you always spend more time on that journey. Don’t take the effort it took or the relationships you made along the way for granted. Biggest anticipation about the build: I am a little anxious about what critters might be eating me alive, mosquito or something larger. Also a little concerned of my lack of Spanish speaking skills. I am very excited to experience the culture and meet the people. Three things you can’t live without: Water, oxygen and toilet paper. All pretty important.

Motto: Every night when laying down for bed, one should have learned more, taught more, given more and received more than they had when they woke that morning. Biggest anticipation about the build: Developing relationships with the community and team members. Three things you can’t live without: Family, A sense of purpose, A sense of accomplishment

Motto: “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” – Mark Twain Biggest anticipation about the build: I am excited to see our team working with the community to complete the bridge. Three things you can’t live without: Good Food, Good Company, & Good Humor

Motto: “What lies behind you and what lies in front of you pales in comparison to what lies inside of you.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson Biggest anticipation about the build: Too much rain/ time impact. (Bad) Meeting new people from a different culture. (Good) Three things you can’t live without: Love, Travel and Music. Bonus Fact: I have Sequence-space synesthesia (SSS) Google it.

Motto: Live Life, Love & Laugh Passionately Biggest anticipation about the build: Enjoying the remote tropical location, people, food & customs; slightly concerned about the rainy season & mosquitos! Three things you can’t live without: Family, Friends & the Beach

Motto: WILL TO DO. SOUL TO DARE. Biggest anticipation about the build: Excited to be in Bolivia and experience the elements and challenges the team will be faced with by adapting and being outside of my comfort zone to make the build possible. Three things you can’t live without: Oxygen, Food and Water (LITERALLY). Food, Music, and Laughter.

Motto: “A single act of kindness throws out roots in all directions, and the roots spring up and make new trees." – Amelia Earhart Biggest anticipation about the build: Bridge Inauguration Day – watching the community members cross the bridge for the first time. Three things you can’t live without: Family/Friends, Laughter, Coffee

THE TEAM

GALLERY + MORE

What if every single day you sent your son or daughter to school, you knew there was a chance they wouldn’t return home? That is the reality of families in rurally isolated communities around the world. Watch Bridges to Prosperity CEO Avery Bang share what she believes can be accomplished for rural communities.

TED TALK: The Power of Connection

LINK

Ian Firth, member of the Bridges to Prosperity Board of Directors and Chair of the Bridges to Prosperity UK Charitable Trust, discusses the ingenuity of bridges, engineering, and the idea that bridges build community through connectivity.

TED TALK: Bridges should be beautiful

LINK

ONE BRIDGE AT A TIME

TITLE SPONSORS

Final stop

Stop 2

Stop 1

All raw material is stocked, abutments of masonry are along on one side. Today you can see the start of production on the bridge deck hangars.

Excellent team work, team ground is ahead of schedule, prefab is just about done, the food is outstanding. Kudos to the villagers of Avispas who are cooking for us.

Highs

When the sun was out it was brutal. Team air working in approach to the bridge "pit" on cables said it felt like being in an oven.

Lows

The community was engaged in our morning safety meeting including stretch and flex. First priority focus was on improving site housekeeping especially the paths of travel around the site to reduce slip, trip, fall hazard.

Safety

Local community involvement was awesome on South side of edge bridge. There were 98 nuts torqued. Completed prefab: 142 launch swings and 284 rebar hangers. 66% of the fence is painted. Launched first 3 swings.

DAY 2

Launch swings done by lunch! Congrats Aaron, Aislinn, Tommy, Ted, Daniel, and Brandon for winning the launch swing bet! They bet our team would finish the launch swings today, originally scheduled for two days.

DAY 3

Finished approximately 48% of decking placement. Coated cables with tar, started backfill, and also started fencing on bridge.

DAY 4

Zero Harm We adjusted work schedule based on weather conditions to remain productive.

DAY 5

DAY 6

DAY 7

DAY 8

DAY 9

Missing fence arrived. Team and 18 locals completed fence prep and painting during the thunder and lightning storm. After the storm cleared the team went back to site and completed the fence on the east side.

DAY 10

We FINISHED the bridge! Project completed THREE days ahead of schedule.

DAY 11

DAY 12

FUN FACTS

ZERO HARM Daily safety strategy included pre-task plan reviews, hydration best practices and flex/stretch Training classes included fall prevention best practices and proper use of personal protection equipment

FINALE VIDEO

We saw a butterfly migration that only happens twice a year (see picture of Daniel with butterfly on nose). We (Jennifer) found bacon at the only store in Villa Tunari that sells it.

Low & High Ran into issues with the cable installations and worked together to solve it. Zero Harm (Safety) Permanent stepping stones installed for safe access.

Day 1 MVP Barret for getting us to site safely. Day 2 MVP Jennifer for buying steak and bacon. We're placing bets on launch swings installed. Stay tuned for results.

Brad, Aislinn, Ted and Rosa playing volleyball with the kids.

Word/Phrase of the day Buen Trabajo Good Job

High Gifting the amazing community women who have been providing breakfast, lunch, dinner and laundry.

Low The hottest day to date, it was brutal. And we said goodbye to B2P mason and rockstar Rogelio. We wish him luck on his next project.

Safety Trained locals how to properly use safety harnesses so they could assist in the launch swings.

100% TIED-OFF 100% OF THE TIME

High We had bacon for breakfast! MVP Rosa Pena received the MVP award for her work on the rocks.

Low We had so much participation from the community that we did not have enough personal protection equipment (PPE).

Zero Harm Encouraged community to stay hydrated with five-minute water breaks every 45 minutes during heavy labor.

Word/Phrase of the day Segura la madera Secure the wood

We've been reading postcards during our dinners. Everyone really loves them, they are super encouraging!

We were rained out, but we were still able to prefab all fencing and handrails. This saved us one day on the schedule! We are grateful for the community who completed backfill of the ramps.

Supply Run Aislinn, Tommy, Jennifer and I went to Villa Tunari to restock food, drinks, snacks and equipment.

Word of Day Que cuesta? How much?

We took advantage of our light day and hung out at the local watering hole. We played soccer with the locals and Brad and Boggs' team won!

High Low key, cool and easy day. Low It was our first rain out at the construction site, but we didn't let that stop us!

Decking over the water and the concrete ramp on the south side are COMPLETE! The team continues to work on the fencing, and we've painted 75% of the decking green.

Team has made tremendous progress despite the grueling hot and muggy weather conditions: 97° with 99% humidity. Everyone is exhausted and we look forward to a day of rest tomorrow.

First five individuals to make it over the cables from one abutment to another include community volunteers Joel, Juan and Teofelo, and two B2P members Don and Gerard.

It was an EPIC day off! The fantastic folks that so graciously cook our meals also had the day off, so we went into Villa Tunari for brunch at the San Silvestre Restaurant. The food and view were wonderful.

We went on a rafting adventure down the Espiritu Santo river, considered category 3-4. At one point we stopped and jumped off a 25-foot high platform. Highlight of the adventure was rafting under the bridge we are building!

We built up an appetite from the rafting adventure and returned to Villa Tunari to a restaurant called Leñas Ardientes where we enjoyed delicious pizza and barbecue!

High Big shout out to Brenda Vawter, team member Brad Vawter's wife, for the rice krispie treats. We love and appreciate you! Low We didn't have enough fence and it's slowed down our momentum.

MVP Tommy MacCabe's alternate design for fence attachment approved by B2P saved the project team a day of work.

Handrails are complete, decking is installed and all rebar is bent. Concrete on north abutment is complete, the deck is predrilled for lagging, which is 66% complete.

Phrase of the day Estoy muy caliente y cansado I am very hot and tired

High We found a tarp on the north side of the bridge where we took shelter while we waited for the lightning to stop.

Zero Harm Didn't get struck by lightning. We followed safety protocols and stayed safe during the storm!

MVP Jennifer because she took the community out for ice cream as a thank you for helping us paint!

High Having a beer out on the bridge with the team and community upon project completion!

Low Knowing our time with Clemente and the community is coming to a close.

MVP Boggs for our drone footage.

Word of the day: Terminado Finished

Here's what the team is looking forward to the most when they return home ...

Jennifer I'm looking forward to hugging my family and Whataburger. Tommy I'm looking forward to going out and having a deep dish pizza date night with my wife.

Daniel I'm looking forward to seeing my wife and kids. Aaron I'm looking forward catching up on my 600 emails.

Andy I'm looking forward to a hot shower. Aislinn I'm looking forward to hugging my family and then a nice shower.

Brad I'm looking forward to hugging my wife. Brandon A great meal from home, hugging my wife and little man. I also look forward to facilities I can sit on without fear of being biten and a nice hot shower!

Ted I'm looking forward to a big greasy burger. Clemente I'm looking forward to showing my family all the pictures of my new friends.

Gerard Seeing my pregnant sister. Rosa Telling my son to throw out the trash and sleeping in my bed.

Low Lightning storm hit while we were working on the south side of the bridge. Team lost a half-day of work time. We fed a whole colony of mosquitoes.

The gang went on a big adventure with a kilometer hike to the top of Parque Machia, a monkey rehabilitation park, where we had the opportunity to hang out with spider monkeys. The view from the top was stunning. Everyone is looking forward to tomorrow's inauguration.

We had a wonderful fish dinner with the entire community topped off with some tasty Paceña. After dinner everyone played a game of volleyball while some fantastic Bolivian music played in the background.

Fabulous day for a bridge inaguration attended by the entire community, the municipality and the Mayor of Villa Tunari! We poured out Chicha for Pachamama, or Mother Earth, while fireworks burst in the background, and then everyone walked the bridge together.

To celebrate the end of our journey and to pay homage to a safe passage home the entire team attached locks to the bridge.

Changing Lives Local resident Don Felipe shared a childhood story about crossing the river via zipline with his father. During the crossing they dropped what equalled a months worth of food. His family only ate yuca that month and went hungry most days. Now, because of the new bridge, families are empowered to succeed and thrive!

The team will be heading home soon traveling to Cochabamba, then Santa Cruz and finally back to the United States.

FROM: Titus Rodriguez MESSAGE: Great job everyone! It looks like you guys are knocking it out of the park. Photos and write-ups are awesome and very, very encouraging to see the local participation. Keep up the good work as a lot of folks are rooting for you all! Stay safe and stay thirsty my friends—have a Chicha!

THE NEED

THE BUILD

TEAM BIOS

SPONSORS

POSTCARDS

BLOGS

LINK

TEN STRANGERS, TWO DAYS AND ONE MAJOR GOAL

FINAL THOUGHTS ON THE 2018 B2P JOURNEY

TEAM WRAP-UP: HIGHS AND LOWS

FROM: Leon Blondin MESSAGE: I have been following your tremendous progress, mostly through Ted O'Donnell's Facebook updates! It looks and sounds like you are making great progress and are on track to deliver yet another Balfour Beatty project ahead of schedule. I hope you have made lasting memories and had time to connect with the local people that you are supporting in such a meaningful way. I look forward to hearing the stories of the trip. Stay safe completing your mission, and I hope you have some fun along the way! Thank you ALL for your commitment.

FROM: Leslee Mallinson MESSAGE: Looks like you all are having the time of your lives and working hard. It is wonderful to see all the smiles on your faces, smiles on the local community faces, and all of you bonding. It must be so rewarding for you all to know your smiles are ones the local community won't soon forget -- your imprint is everlasting. Love seeing the daily updates. Keep up the tremendous work, but don't bring home any of those gigantic creepy crawlies...yipes!

FROM: Travis Lawson MESSAGE: I am enjoying your updates as I watch your progress! Thank you for giving your time and energy on behalf of Balfour Beatty and representing all of us at home in such an incredible way.

FROM: Julie Chambliss MESSAGE: ALL of you are such a fantastic team working together with the community to make this happen. I am celebrating your progress, your technical and people skills, your flexibility and your positiveness. Virtual high fives to every one of you!!

FROM: Brent Vawter MESSAGE: I'm sure the pictures don't do it justice, but that looks like grueling work. How cool that you get to refresh yourselves with a game of volleyball or soccer after a day's work. Looks like the locals have completely adopted you, and vice versa. You're building more than one kind of bridge, for sure. Not only have you changed this community for good, but you’ve also inspired people around the world with your generosity, kindness, sacrifice and service. Blessings on the team!

FROM: Karen Ellis MESSAGE: Buen Trabajo! Cannot tell you how exciting it is to watch the progress each day! WOW and WOW! The dedication shown by the entire B2P 2018 TEAM is outstanding and WE are so proud of every one of you. I am looking forward to Jennifer Rhoads' presenting this journey to our local National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) Chapter next spring. Sending lots of love, strength, encouragement and good vibes to all!

FROM: Mila Smith MESSAGE: Hey gang, I'm following your journey through the site, and it is SO impressive what you are accomplishing as a team. Glad you're making progress, staying hydrated and finding time to connect with the community. Keep up the inspiring work.

FROM: Patrick Hays MESSAGE: Wishing you all the best of luck in your adventures and mission. Your determination of providing the essentials to others not as fortunate around the world is a great holiday message I will be sharing with the Balfour Beatty Infrastructure Team here at the Los Gatos, California Water Treatment Facility Project. We are with you in your journey in spirit and hoping for your safe return this holiday season. Cheers!

FROM: Elizabeth Angel MESSAGE: Way to go everybody. Thank you for your kindness, hard work and dedication! Keep up the great work and enjoy this once in a lifetime experience. Stay safe, happy and hydrated!

FROM: Megan Yonts MESSAGE: I have been watching the progress from here in San Diego. It is incredible to see how quickly you were able to build the structure and fills my heart to see the kindness shared by the village. I hope you are all enjoying your time—we can’t wait to have you back home!

FROM: Leslie Timmons MESSAGE: I've been following your amazing progress to better the lives of the local community with the beautiful new bridge! I hope you are having a wonderful, safe, and rewarding time.

FROM: Eric Stenman MESSAGE: Your efforts inspire all of us and make me personally proud to work with selfless leaders such as yourselves as you each make the world a better place. #inspirational

FROM: Elisa Diaz MESSAGE: YEYYYYYY! You DID it. Congratulations to the whole team. What an amazing and wonderful job you guys did for a community that is going to remember you all for the rest of their lives. Very PROUD of all of you. Muy orgullosa de ustedes!l

FINALE VIDEO

FUN FACTS

DAY-BY-DAY

TEAM FUN FACTS Fundraising total was $107,009.00 Total of 271 supporters including both corporate and individual sponsors Total miles flown = 93,868 Luggage lost = 0

Maximum elevation changes in 147 kilometers or 91 miles = 10,560 feet (Puna Ridge to Avispas) Number of times the brakes went out on the drive downhill = 1

Number of average steps per day (team) = 1,499,840 Average steps per day (per person) = 149,984 Average weight of harness, retractable and gear (impact, batteries, lags, lard, etc.) = 27 lbs.

Types of homemade soup consumed = 13 Gallons of homemade soup consumed = 64 Team weight loss = 90 lbs. combined Average temperature of the shower water = 65° Fahrenheit

Bats removed from the lady’s dorm room = 6 Bats in the lady’s dorm room = 12 Tarantulas found near the restroom = 2 Number of birds awake every morning at 4:45AM = 5,896

Games of soccer won by team made up of B2P and Balfour Beatty players = 2 Gallons of water consumed = 25 quantity five-gallon jugs Rockstar’s on the Balfour Beatty team = 10

BRIDGE FACTS Span length = 132 meters Total weight of suspended bridge elements (abutment to abutment) = 47,780 lbs. or 23.89 tons Volume of river rock stone used in abutments = 34.69 CY = weight of 163,910 lbs. 81.96 tons

Total length of cables = 1,203 meters or 3,948 feet Total weight of cables = 14,923 lbs. or 7.46 tons Total number of cable clamps installed = 98

Launch swings = 133 (44 red, 44 yellow, 45 green) Launch swing steel = 17.7 lbs. each or 2,357 lbs. total Launch swing lumber weight = 36 lbs. each or 4,788 lbs.

Board feet of deck boards = 4,350 Lbs. of deck board moved = 28,656 lbs. or 14.33 tons Primary method of cutting deck boards = Chainsaw Hilti impact drivers killed = 4

Total lag bolts installed = 2952 Lag bolts dropped in the river = 0 Lbs. of pig lard used to grease lag bolts = 20 Gallons of gas used for generator = 3

OUR COMMITMENT

Balfour Beatty is proud to be a global supporter of Bridges to Prosperity having completed numerous missions around the world. In the US, this is our second bridge build mission and have already commitment to future builds. We look forward to a continued partnership with the Bridges to Prosperity team and our future missions.

FOOTBRIDGE BUILD

ESPIRITU SANTO

2018