Rock Band, hot chocolate and a whole lot of pizza drew some UF students away from the bars on University Avenue and back to campus Friday night.
The 13th annual Sleep Out for the Homeless, organized by Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, was held at Turlington Plaza to collect donated clothes, canned food, toiletries and money for the homeless in Gainesville.
"The aim of the event is to raise awareness about the homeless issue in Gainesville," said Clarence Anthony Jr., a fraternity member and coordinator of the event.
Members collected $50, 30 boxes of canned food and about 200 pounds of clothes in nearly four hours, said fraternity member Michael Mitchell, a UF industrial systems engineering graduate student.
Donations included cans of soup, pasta, corn, tuna and gently used clothes such as sweaters, T-shirts and pants.
About 250 people came to the event.
Anthony said the low temperatures caused a lower turnout. In previous years up to 400 people have come.
The donations will be taken to St. Francis House next week, said Alex Hanse, Alpha Phi Alpha member and UF applied physiology and kinesiology senior.
St. Francis House volunteer coordinator Samantha Holden also came to the event to express the gratitude of everyone at the shelter.
"Especially in nights like these when it's really cold, I am sure all the homeless really appreciate the extra clothing," she said.
Students can also drop off donations this week at the Alpha Phi Alpha house.
The event was co-sponsored by Savant, a UF organization that specializes in outreach for the homeless. This is the first year Alpha Phi Alpha worked with another organization to put together the sleep out.
While Michael Mitchell sorted through donated clothes, students munched on pizza, sipped on hot chocolate and danced to the rhythms of Flo Rida's "Apple Bottom Jeans" and M.I.A.'s "Paper Planes" to keep warm.
Others played "Lips," a karaoke game, Rock Band or basketball on an Xbox 360, which was loaned for the event.
"We try to use the element of having fun to bring out students," Hanse said.
UF sociology senior Sandra Seymour saw this as a good opportunity to contribute to the community. She brought cans of beans, corn, sardines and soup.
"We were blessed, so we might as well be a blessing to others," she said.
The event also included a raffle. UF freshman Alicia Joseph, who donated toothpaste and deodorant, won a ticket granting her free entrance to a local nightclub this Friday.
Unite Party members were also present at the event and donated towels, canned noodles, clothes and supplies for pets.
"There's a huge homeless population around here in Gainesville, and we are just trying to make a difference as college students," said Larnell Vickers, Unite Party vice presidential candidate.
Hanse said regardless of how many students donated, the event was a success from the start.
"Even if one person came and gave us something it's better than what a homeless person might have had yesterday," Hanse said.
