CHRISTINA EICHELKRAUT / PVT Parents and students eat at a nice shady spot during Mt. Charleston Elementary School's seventh annual Bring A Parent to Lunch Day put on by the school's literacy program. The day coincided with Art in the Park, allowing students to show off their creative skills as well. Advertisement

Mt. Charleston Elementary students got a chance to picnic outside with their parents Friday, May 9, during their seventh annual Take a Parent to Lunch Day.

All students had to do was bring a loved guardian, pick up their bag lunch of a hot dog, chips and water, and find a nice table or shady area to sit and chow down.

Since the yearly event is also sponsored by the school's literacy program, every student received a book to share with their family member during lunch.

As if all that weren't enough, the event also coincided with the school's Art in the Park program.

Art work created by the students was strung up between trees and prominently displayed on the side of buildings, adding pleasant scenery for the picnickers.

It took 1,200 hot dogs to get all the participants fed, which according to Title I Coordinator Cindy Deweese, meant nearly all of the 602 students at the school had someone to bring along to the event.

The "family literacy event," as Deweese called it, was only possible due to the volunteers and local businesses that helped sponsor it.

"We couldn't have done this without the volunteers," Deweese said. "Without them it wouldn't be possible."