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FD insurance agency initiates a season of back-to-school efforts to help kids and families

Backpacks and bubbles

-Messenger photo by Hans Madsen Raena Shute, 4, of Fort Dodge, walks to get her backpack full of school supplies Thursday afternoon with the State Farm mascot Good Neigh Bear at the Jeff Haupts agency in Fort Dodge.

Raena Shute, 4, of Fort Dodge, will be starting her education experience this fall as a preschool student.

On Thursday afternoon she got herself a new backpack full of school supplies to take with her, learned to blow bubbles and got to meet the State Farm Insurance mascot Good Neigh Bear.

Jeff Haupts, owner of the Haupts State Farm Insurance Agency in Fort Dodge, funded and hosted the event.

“We try to do a couple of public service projects each year,” he said. “This is one of them.”

Each of the 250 bright red backpacks contained a notebook, folders, pencils, pens and crayons. While they were visiting to pick them up, they could also enjoy a treat and make bubble wands in any shape they chose.

-Messenger photo by Hans Madsen Raena Shute, 4, of Fort Dodge reacts as her brother, Blaze Hudson, 7, blows a bubble before getting his own backpack of school supplies Thursday afternoon at the Jeff Haupts StateFarm Agency in Fort Dodge. Destiny Hudson, 6, cneter, works on getting ready to blow her own bubbles.

Shute’s siblings, Blaze Hudson, 7, and Ali Hudson, 6, were also along to pick up their very own backpacks full of supplies. Their mother, Destiny Hudson, is grateful for the supplies.

“It helps a lot,” she said, “when you have to buy so much.”

The children also enjoyed spending time with Good Neigh Bear and posing for a photograph with the mascot after they got their backpacks.

The bear, AKA agent Mark Sharpe, played it safe and cool. He stayed in the shade.

-Messenger photo by Hans Madsen Jeff Haupts, right, helps Blaze Hudson, 7, of Fort Dodge, get his backpack full of school supplies on Thursday afternoon at the Jeff Haupts StateFarm Agency in Fort Dodge.

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