NATCHEZ — A group of community advocates invites the public to join them for an evening of brainstorming and re-imagining for the future of Natchez and Adams County.

The Community Alliance of Natchez and Adams County is hosting a reception of light refreshments and cocktails at 5:30 p.m. Thursday at the Historic Natchez Foundation on Commerce Street.

The Community Alliance is an umbrella organization that brings together diverse groups that are working together for community development.

The Community Alliance has collaborated with member groups like Christmas in Natchez, the Natchez Bicycle Club and Keep Natchez-Mississippi Beautiful on a variety of community projects.

For its inaugural project, the  Community Alliance helped spearhead six miles of walking trails through downtown Natchez.

In recent years, the group has been working on projects quietly behind the scenes, Co-Chair Nicole Harris said.

“I think some people think the Community Alliance stopped, but it didn’t,” Harris said.

Harris said Thursday’s reception gives the public an opportunity to see what the Community Alliance has been doing. More importantly, the reception gives residents a chance to offer ideas about the future of the group and the future of the community.

Co-Chair Ricardo Giani agreed.

“We have some good projects and ideas that have come to the table,” Giani said. “We are trying to pick one big project and be a facilitator for community events. We want to be a financial agent for different events.”

One of the projects that is being discussed is the development of bike trails, Giani said.

“Something I have had my eye on is creating bike routes in Natchez connecting the different National Park sites (in the area),”  Giani said.

Recently, the Community Alliance has been working with the National Park Service’s River, Trails, and Conservation Assistance Program to help develop a concept plan.

Harris said the Alliance is also repositioning itself to help facilitate community events.

“We want to give small organizations a voice in changing Natchez for the better,” Harris said. “Everybody in the community is welcome to come and encouraged to join us.”

For more information about The Community Alliance visit communityalliancenac.org.