CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) — Kappa Kappa Gamma, a U of I sorority, hosted its 53rd annual flower sale to raise money for Driven to Reach Excellence and Academic Achievement for Males (DREAAM).

DREAAM is a group that hopes to bring up young men in the community and they say the event creates a continuous cycle of serving others in the area. It’s one way they hope to achieve Victory Over Violence.

President Ginger Mills said this is the third year her sorority has raised money for DREAAM and they love the opportunity to teach something new.

“It’s fun to see them, for the first time learning about flowers,” Miller said. “There’s a lot of times where kids don’t know about planting or the growing stages or is that a sunflower or is that a flower that would grow better in the shade.”

Sixth-grader Isz’real Robinson has been a DREAAM member for nearly two years. He said serving with the Kappas and his friends makes learning fun.

“It feels really good. We help a lot with stuff and we like doing stuff together,” Robinson said. “Helping out is a good responsibility and it’s always good to help.”

Eighth-grader Jayden Johnson said the organization plays a vital role in helping him succeed.

“They help me with my homework, getting better grades,” Johnson said. “They teach me how to be a man, be myself, don’t be like nobody else. Just be me.”

DREAAM founder Tracy Dace said there are lots of groups in the community.

“Investing in those solutions, helping to sustain those solutions will help us to have more systemic change in our community,” Dace said.

Dace said his group is a testament that when you pour resources into younger generations their lives improve for the better. He wants to see more of it.

“We need prevention,” Dace said. “We need opportunities for boys to be supported, loved, taught, mentored and empowered.”