SPEEDWAY — Dozens of volunteers were hard at work to make sure the Indianapolis Motor Speedway looks as good as new the day after the greatest spectacle in racing.
Teens with Solid Rock Baptist Church did their part in the IMS clean-up efforts on Monday.
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Hundreds of thousands of race fans filled the seats for the 107th running of the Indianapolis 500 on Sunday.
In the aftermath, piles of beer cans, plastic bottles and garbage galore were left behind.
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Kids Ministry leader David Young says volunteering the day after the race is a tradition Solid Rock has been doing for seven years.
“We come out to raise money for our teen camp each year. That way these kids can get off the street. Teach them how to work. Through that they’re able to go to church camp in the summer and have a good time with their youth group," Young said.
Solid Rock’s fundraising goal for Monday is $4,000.
That money will give the 35 volunteers the opportunity to go to summer camp.
“We come in and start from the front, sweep the floors. Make sure all the trash is picked up. Then we pick up all the way underneath the stands. From this section over here all the way to the very end," he said.
Friends Marcos, Brian and Anthony started their morning before the break of dawn.
“I don’t wanna wake up. It’s gonna be worth it in the end so we can go to summer camp and have memories," Brian said.
This summer will potentially be the teens' first time attending summer camp.
They tell WRTV they’re most excited about building relationships, the fun activities and the opportunity to get out of the house.
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But before then, they had to do a lot of heavy lifting in the grandstands and ignore the scent of stale beer and garbage.
“It feels like someone threw up like right in front of you," Marcos said.
