By Heather Whitaker | News writer

Outside the “Tent City” campout Friday night, a different kind of madness took place as students gathered to build 14 blanket forts to benefit charity.

About 13,000 blankets used to build the forts were donated to Lexington homeless shelters after the event, which was hosted by Wrap Up America.

Wrap Up America is a national organization with chapters on twelve campuses across the country.

The organization has been on campus for over a year now, but this was the first year UK has held the competition.

About 40 people looked on as students built the forts around PVC pipe structures.

Although the event was created for fun, the main purpose was to further student involvement in charitable causes around the Lexington Community, said Alex Wade, member of Wrap Up America.

“We want to create a movement towards service and community,” Wade said.

Wade hoped that by teaming up with other campus student organizations, the UK chapter of Wrap Up America would be able to spread the word about Lexington’s Hope Center, a nonprofit organization that helps the homeless get off the street and stay off the street.

“The Hope Center focuses on treating the two main causes of homelessness: mental illness and drug abuse,” said George Privett, board chairman at the Hope Center.

Lexington Development Program Team 1 won the competition.

The scheduling of the event in October was not by chance, said Ann Dickson, member of Wrap Up America.

“We purposefully set up the event as the cold weather was moving in and with it being in conjunction with Tent City,” Dickson said.