Our office is now open! It really feels good to be in the office located in Riverfront Renaissance Center for the Arts, 22 N. High Street. Although I was able to work part time from my home since March 15, I was never as organized as I like to be. If you wish to come to the office, face masks must be worn.

Some of our small businesses are now open and include the cottages in the Village on High along with Bogart’s Books & Café, Synergy Tattoo Studio, and barbers and salons. The professional services offices are mostly open. Most restaurants are still doing takeout orders, and a few have outdoor dining, such as Wildflower Vegan Café and The Old Oar House Irish Pub. Please check our website directory to get phone numbers and more information about the Arts District’s businesses: GlasstownArtsDistrict.com.

We welcomed a brand-new shop into the Village on High, 501 N. High Street, last week. “Pangea – Indigenous Art” sells artisan works from around the globe and fair-trade items. You can shoppangea.com to see the items on sale for original home décor or gift giving.

Several local shops here in Millville, Vineland, and the county sell their artisan work and products online, such as Etsy, eBay, websites, and Facebook Marketplace. You can get most of that information from their social media pages. Online shopping can help bridge the gap while we still have the pandemic.

Around our area, the Millville Army Airfield Museum is open to the public now along with Verna’s Flightline eatery at the airport with plenty of outdoor dining.

We are pleased to announce that our summer art camp, Art Creates Excellence, is fully booked and will start next week on July 13. We will operate the program at 30 percent capacity. All the youth may attend free of charge due to the generosity of donors like Ocean First Foundation, Rob Shannon’s Slo-Pitch Tournament, and a family foundation that asks for anonymity.

Parents have expressed their gratitude to be able to have their kids enjoy the art experience for three weeks this summer. This is the 21st year of the camp. If you are interested, contact me next spring about enrollment opportunities.

If you are looking for some pass time activities for adults and kids, check the websites for Wheaton Arts and Cultural Center, Millville Army Airfield Museum, and Riverfront Renaissance Center for the Arts. You will be able to register for online art lessons, see virtual art exhibits, watch WWII history films and lectures.

Our Millville and Vineland libraries are offering contactless pickup of five items or less. You can visit websites millvillepubliclibrary.org or vinelandlibrary.org or by phone. Challenge the kids or yourself with the number of books you wish to read over the summer. It’s a productive and fun activity the entire family can enjoy.

Economic activity has returned in the Arts District. Some of our building owners are taking this time to renovate the exteriors of their buildings. New roofs, window replacements and more are in motion to spruce up offices and shops. None of us has a crystal ball to know when our economic centers will be free to get back to business. When it happens, we ask that you, the people of Cumberland County, support as many independent businesses as you possibly can. Their livelihoods depend upon the consumers like you.