LAHARPE — At age 11, it may be a bit too soon for Jordyn Potter to decide on a career.
But if she were so inclined, Doug Northcutt has a suggestion.
“Give me a week and I’ll make a welder out of her,” Northcutt joked.
Potter’s skills with an MIG welder were evident Wednesday when she and fellow Scout Troop No. 55 members stopped by to work with Northcutt.
Northcutt, owner of Doug’s Welding, also serves as commander of the Willis J. Ross Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 6324 In LaHarpe, and is among the VFW members volunteering to help with various merit badge projects this fall.
Wednesday’s projects, in which the Scouts welded their initials onto metal plates, will go toward earning a merit badge for welding, Scout leader John Sheehan explained.
The welding took place after the youngsters first learned about safety from Northcutt and other VFW members.
Future lessons will focus on such trades as plumbing, with VFW member K.C. Cline handling those lessons.
The aim is to get the youngsters interested at a young age at various life skills, and in turn, to get more youth interested in joining Scouting.
Northcutt noted that gender is no longer a barrier for youngsters eager to join the Scouts program.
