Photo Gallery: Family Day In Groton

About 70 people ate dinner at West Side Middle School Monday for Family Day, a gathering to encourage families to sit down at the table together. The event is part of a national movement started in 2001.

"I think it's a great thing that they do," said Monique Scott, who brought her son and her mother. "Everyone's running around and crazy, and it's nice to just sit down and see other people that are in the school system, and enjoy a nice dinner."

Neon Chicken of New London provided the chicken, a representative from Mothers Against Drunk Driving gave a presentation and the Groton Adolescent Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition organized the event.

"The reason we do this is to get parents to sit down with their children at least three to five times a week, because that's proven to reduce substance abuse and open the lines of communication," said coalition coordinator Michelle Hamilton.