Local legislators and school committee members toured the Gleason Family's YMCA during its first ever Advocacy Day on Monday.

The event highlighted Camp Nep-In-Nae, a nine week program that hosts 90 - 100 kids on average every week.

The camp provides an opportunity for "kids to kind of learn, and grow and get out of their comfort zones a little bit," said Eddie Rouxinal, the camp's director.

Translated as "home away from home," Nep-In-Nae focuses on three core principles: youth development, healthy living, and social engagement.

In addition to team-building activities, children are able to choose form a variety of activities including, but not limited to, archery, ropes course, group sports, swim lessons, and arts and crafts.

State Senator Marc Pacheco (D-Taunton), Representative Susan Williams Gifford (R-Wareham), Selectmen Alan Slavin and Judith Whiteside, Town Administrator Derek Sullivan, Director of Curriculum and Instruction Andrea Schwamb and Wareham School Committee member Geoff Swett got a first-hand look at the activities offered by the Camp, and a closer look at the programs being offered by the Y.

"The whole point was to shed awareness," said the Y's Executive Director Debbie Fringuelli. "We took the opportunity to really highlight a few of the different areas and really watch the kids in action."

In what Fringuelli called "little snaps of what kids do within a day," the guests saw children practice archery, create dinosaur fossils out of Play-Doh, learn pickleball on the new courts, and complete a high-ropes course.

"I didn't really come here much as a kid, but being here for the past few weeks made me wish I did," said Alex Bessey, a Counselor-In-Training (CIT). He was one of four CITs that spoke of their experience at the camp during Advocacy Day.

"As a camp we try to make sure that people who can can advocate for us in government can really understand what we're doing and how they could help us in meeting our mission, and how we can help each other within the community," said Fringuelli.

The Y hopes to make Advocacy Day a tradition and annual event.