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Jackie MileyGuinness Book record holder, owner of the largest collection of teddy bears
Country:
 USA |
Content:
Jackie Miley - The Guinness World Record Holder of the Largest Teddy Bear Collection
Jackie Miley, an American woman from Hill City, South Dakota, has gained fame for her incredible collection of teddy bears. Over the years, she has amassed a staggering 7,790 plush bears, earning her a spot in the Guinness World Records. In 2001, when her collection reached 7,106 bears, Jackie was featured in the Guinness Book of Records. However, she didn't stop there and it is highly likely that her collection has long surpassed 8,000 teddy bears.
A Small Town Celebrity
Jackie Miley resides in Hill City, a small town with a population of only 800 people. In this tight-knit community, she is considered a true celebrity. Interestingly, her collection is somewhat connected to Hill City and its residents. When she first began her collection, Jackie set a goal to gather more teddy bears than the town's population. Needless to say, there is no longer a competition as the population of plush bears far exceeds the number of people in the town.
Teddy Bear Town - A Unique Museum
Teddy Bear Town is a one-of-a-kind museum dedicated to teddy bears, where visitors can purchase themed souvenirs and explore rooms filled with bears of various models and years of production. Some people visit out of curiosity, while others are drawn by a sense of nostalgia that these toys evoke - long-forgotten but remarkably familiar. The Teddy Bear, or as Americans call it, the Teddy Bear, is a symbol of childhood, a parent's home, and the first toys one experiences during their early years. Therefore, the love for this simple toy is always pure and genuine, tinged with a hint of melancholy and even a sense of guilt for all the Teddy bears that have been left behind in the past.
A Personal Connection
Jackie Miley shares that she grew up in foster families in Minnesota, and her Teddy Bear represented an entire world to her. She kept her plush bear and never parted with it. With her Teddy Bear by her side, Jackie arrived in Hill City over ten years ago and has stayed ever since. Her collection grew slowly, as Jackie wasn't in a rush. She scoured charity sales, second-hand stores, and searched for toys wherever possible. Soon enough, she achieved her initial goal of matching the number of teddy bears with the town's population. However, Jackie didn't stop there and continued to gather her nostalgic collection. Eventually, people started coming to her, expressing awe, adoration, and even shedding tears while looking at the plush bears.
A Guinness World Record
At some point, when her collection numbered in the thousands, someone asked Jackie why she hadn't applied for a Guinness World Record. Jackie shrugged at the thought, as she had never considered it before and didn't even know how many bears she had. However, after a careful count, she was surprised by the final number and decided to submit an application. Once her collection became an official record, people from across the United States began sending her teddy bears. Many were thrilled to participate in such a heartwarming endeavor. In 2011, Jackie Miley's collection consisted of nearly 8,000 teddy bears, while the Guinness World Record was documented at 7,106 bears. Jackie is grateful to everyone who took the time to send her a bear for her collection and she makes sure to respond to each one, even sending out certificates. She believes that it is important for many to either set their own record or at least be a part of the collective effort. Meanwhile, her small endeavor of collecting teddy bears has turned into a national project.
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