Arlandria-Chirilagua Business Association Celebrating 1-year Anniversary

The Arlandria-Chirilagua Business Association is celebrating its one-year anniversary on Tuesday with an event benefitting Community Lodgings, a local nonprofit that helps homeless and low-income families.

The event is scheduled to run from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday at the Four Mile Run Park Building, located at 4109 Mount Vernon Ave. The event will feature live music and food from local restaurants.

Formed a year ago, the ACBA aims to promote the visability and prosperity of its membership and embrace the diversity of Arlandria. The group presented the DiverseCity Alexandria Multicultural Fest in September. The ACBA also meets monthly to discuss issues facing businesses in Arlandria.

Alexandria Mayor Bill Euille charged the ACBA with advocating positive change in the neighborhood for decades to come at the group’s kickoff event a year ago.

Attendees of Tuesday’s event are encouraged to bring new household items for donation to Community Lodgings, including drinking glasses, flatware, knife sets, mixing bowls, dish sets, pots and pans, dish towels, dish strainers, twin sheet sets, pillows and pillow cases, twin bed spreads and blankets, towel sets and matching small bath rugs.

Community Lodgings provides housing for homeless families and afterschool programs for at-risk youth in Arlandria. Community Lodgings received approval from City Council this month to open a new community center in the basement of the New Brookside Apartments on Four Mile Road.