On a summer weekend, Moraine State Park is a busy place to be. Lake Arthur is a popular site on a sunny day, featuring boats on the lake and swimmers on the beach, enjoying the warm weather and the water.

Unfortunately, we have had to report on fatalities at Lake Arthur for two consecutive summers.

In July 2022, 54- year-old Canadian man drowned in Moraine State Park’s Lake Arthur. Then, this past August, a 4-year-old boy from Pittsburgh drowned at Moraine State Park. Both had been swimming in the lake.

These instances point to a need for more awareness around the risk that comes alongside the fun.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, children age 1 to 4 have the highest drowning rates, and fatal drowning is the leading cause of death for that age group. It’s also the second leading cause of unintentional injury death for children 5 to 14.

While many of these drownings happen while children are not expected to be near water, about 40% of drownings among children ages 5 to14 occur in natural water, such as lakes, rivers and oceans, the CDC reports.

But it's not just children affected. According to the CDC, more than half of drownings — fatal and nonfatal — that occur in natural water happen with people age 15 and older.

A service held this past weekend at Moraine State Park intended to bless the waters of Lake Arthur, and in the process, raised awareness about water safety.

Members of St. Andrew Orthodox Church gathered for an outdoor service Sunday, Feb. 18, where they blessed the waters of the lake. The event was intended to coincide with the day Jesus was baptized in the Jordan River, but was postponed due to the weather.

Deacon Wayne Truckley said this was the first year St. Andrew took on the ceremony on its own. The blessing is an intentional effort to make the lake safe for its users over the coming season, where beachgoers who flock to the state park.

A blessing of the boats will follow before the summer season begins.

We thank those who gathered this weekend, raising awareness and a prayer up for safety in the water.

— TL