D’Andrea Stars in Times Square Billboard

The year Dennis D’Andrea first joined the Wainscott Citizens Advisory Committee, Ronald Reagan was president, the tragic explosion of the space shuttle Challenger occurred, and Madonna’s “Papa Don’t Preach” was one of Billboard’s top 100 songs of the year.

It was 1986. Thirty years later, Mr. D’Andrea is still an active member of the Wainscott C.A.C., and for his dedication to the organization, his colleagues honored him at a party on Sunday afternoon at the house of Rick Del Mastro, another longtime C.A.C. member.

On behalf of the C.A.C., Mr. Del Mastro, who owns an outdoor advertising company, installed a billboard in New York City’s Times Square that displayed a photo of Mr. D’Andrea and his dog and congratulated and thanked him for his contributions over the last 30 years.

“Not in my wildest dreams would I have thought to find myself starring in Times Square,” Mr. D’Andrea said by email. “This must be a first for a Bonacker! What an amazing tribute. I can only imagine what the folks who see it are thinking. They’re wondering what I’m trying to sell. I’m sure 99 percent of them have never heard of Wainscott but think, ‘Cute dog.’ ”

On Sunday, Mr. Del Mastro presented Mr. D’Andrea with a miniature burgundy 1932 Forde Coupe, a model of a classic car he owns, and a plaque inscribed with the message, “Better to be the kingmaker, than the king,” for his many contributions to the smooth running of and leadership development within the C.A.C. over the years.

East Hampton Town Supervisor Larry Cantwell thanked Mr. D’Andrea for his service and recognized his love for his community. Jose Arandia, co-chairman of the Wainscott C.A.C., lauded Mr. D’Andrea as not only dedicated to Wainscott, but also dedicated to humanitarian efforts in Cuba, where he and his wife, Barbara, have worked to improve the lives of many impoverished people. Barry Frankel, the other co-chairman of the C.A.C., said Mr. D’Andrea’s sense of ethics makes him stand out.

“From the first day I attended my first meeting, he was sort of the pivot point of that whole W.C.A.C. group,” Mr. Frankel said. “He is always there when you need him