A growing network of unassuming park benches across Suffolk is carrying a powerful message: no veteran is alone in the fight against suicide.
The initiative by the Masonic War Veterans has rapidly expanded over the past two years. “We’re up to 12 benches now, with more on the way,” said District Deputy Grand Master Robert Licata, who is helping to spearhead the effort. “We’re going to wind up with about 16 benches in just two years—dedicated to the battle within.”
Each bench is more than a place to sit. Affixed with information for the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, they serve as quiet intervention points—visible reminders that help is always within reach. Locations have been carefully chosen for visibility and reflection, including waterfront settings in Port Jefferson, Vietnam Veterans Memorial Park in Farmingville, and other high-traffic public spaces across Long Island.
Licata emphasized the urgency behind the project. “It’s extremely important based on the number of suicides continuing at around 20 a day,” he said. “We’re bringing awareness across Suffolk County so veterans know they’re not by themselves. They have somewhere to turn.”
The hotline, he noted, is staffed by trained professionals available 24/7. “It’s not just someone answering a phone—it’s people who know how to engage, how to keep someone talking, and how to guide them to the help they need,” Licata noted.
The effort has drawn strong support from the broader Masonic community, including Steven Rubin, Grand Master of Masons in the State of New York, who has spoken at several bench dedications. “Veterans carry a battle within,” Rubin said. “These benches offer a place of reflection, peace, hope, and awareness—and a reminder that help is only a call away.”
Funded through donations and grassroots support from local Masons, the program continues to grow as new communities request installations. Organizers are still identifying future locations, with the goal of expanding the network even further.
For Licata and his fellow volunteers, the mission is clear. “If one person sees that bench, makes a call, and gets help,” he said, “then everything we’ve done is worth it.”