Civic activist Angela DeVito honored for years of community service

Civic activist Angela DeVito was honored last night at Riverhead Town Hall for her many years of service to the Greater Jamesport Civic Association.

DeVito, a past-president of the civic group, had served on its executive board for 16 years.

“We’re not a large civic. We don’t have hundreds of members. But what we do have is people who really love the Town of Riverhead. They love where we live in Jamesport-South Jamesport and I know they work their very hardest to make it the best place to live,” DeVito said. “Thank you for all of this, but I see this an an achievement for all of us in our civic.”

A South Jamesport resident, DeVito has been an outspoken advocate on issues affecting not just her community but the entire town, including the redevelopment of the Calverton Enterprise Park, development and land use issues, gun violence and women’s rights. She is a member of the Riverhead Anti-Bias Task Foce and a past member of the Riverhead Industrial Development Agency, the handicapped advisory and animal shelter advisory committees. She is also currently a member of the Vail-Leavitt Music Hall board of directors.

DeVito has been active in local politics as well, serving on the Riverhead Democratic committee. She was the Democratic candidate for town supervisor in 2013. She was also elected to two three-year terms on the Riverhead Board of Education, which she served as president.

Last night, Legislator Al Krupski, Supervisor Jens-Smith and the Riverhead Town Board presented DeVito with proclamations acknowledging her service to the community in general and Jamesport and South Jamesport in particular.

Her successor as civic president William Van Helmond presented her with a certificate of merit from Assemblyman Anthony Palumbo and a plaque from the civic association.

“Angela is very intelligent, a direct and to-the-point individual, who is also very kind and compassionate person,” Van Helmond said in an interview. “I’ve learned a lot from her.”

DeVito stepped down from the association’s executive board at the end of December.

The group meets regularly on the third Saturday of the month at the Jamesport Meeting House, Van Helmond said. This month, the meeting will take place on the fourth Saturday instead — Supervisor Laura Jens-Smith will speak to members on April 28, he said.