Quinn Larson, 18, of Canyon City and Oregon State Police Sgt. Eric Timko stand by the free loaner life jacket kiosk they put up at Magone Lake to help keep people safe on the water.

MAGONE LAKE — Quinn Larson, 18, a recent graduate of Grant Union High School, has put up a kiosk offering free loaner life jackets at a popular Grant County recreation area.

Larson erected the kiosk at Magone Lake with the help of Oregon State Police Sgt. Eric Timko on Monday, Aug. 14.

The large wooden kiosk, in the day use area on the lake’s western shore, bears the slogan “Don’t Be Hasty, Think of Safety.” The kiosk has hooks for about a dozen life jackets available for loan. The signage at the kiosk asks users to return the life jackets when they’re done so others can use them.

The work of putting up the kiosk and providing the loaner life jackets was Larson’s senior project for school as part of his requirement to graduate.

“Every student has a project that provides for the community in some way,” said Larson, who will be majoring in mechanical engineering at Boise State University in Idaho. “The ultimate goal its to make sure people have the materials to stay safe on the water.”

Larson said Timko had approached him because he was looking to partner with somebody to help build the life jacket kiosk after a few recent near-drownings in the local waterway.

“He and I want to make sure people stay safe up there and have the materials to do it.”

Larson’s father, Gordon Larson, is the owner of Berry Creek Ranch south of Canyon City and a retired Oregon State Police commander.

“(Quinn) wanted to prevent a tragedy and he wanted to make sure people had an opportunity to have a life jacket,” Larson said. “Certainly the preservation of life is a priority, but also so somebody doesn’t have to get a citation for not having a life jacket.”

Timko, an OSP fish and wildlife sergeant for John Day, Burns and Fossil, stresses the use of life jackets for visitors on motorized and non-motorized watercraft at Magone Lake. Children under 12 must wear a Coast Guard-approved life jacket at all times while on a watercraft and those over 12 must carry a Coast Guard-approved life jacket, Timko said.

The project was accomplished with the support of the Oregon State Police, the U.S. Forest Service, the Oregon State Marine Board and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.