MILES CITY — After the death of a Miles City woman, her family is turning grief into generosity, honoring her memory by giving away her decades-long collection of more than 300 teddy bears to children and organizations across Montana.
See why a Montana family is donating a massive teddy bear collection:
When Alan Ballensky walks downstairs into the basement of his Miles City home, he’s met by hundreds of soft faces staring back at him.
For decades, a massive collection of an estimated 300 teddy bears belonged to his wife, Jan, who began collecting them in the 1980s after a memorable bear encounter the couple had in Yellowstone National Park years earlier.
“Anything that had a bear on it, it was fair game for her to collect,” said the couple’s daughter, Edie Best. "My mom used to just take things to another degree. It was like, if a little bit is good, then a lot is better.”
What started with annual Kmart Christmas bears eventually grew into shelves of plush toys, trinkets, and collectibles. Family members would bring home a bear to Jan after every vacation, road trip, or birthday.
“When you thought of my mom, you thought of bears. That's just what it was,” said Best. "Not that she needed it, but that was her thing.”
For Jan, each bear held its own memory, and for her family, each bear holds a memory of Jan.
“The places we traveled, the things we did, things we saw, we always had to pick up a bear, so it was fun in that aspect. It's just something that you don't forget,” said Ballensky. “It's just a collection. I mean, you get started on some stupid thing and it just kind of sticks with you.”
Jan died in June at age 87, just weeks before what would have been her and Alan's 65th wedding anniversary. After her death, Alan and Edie decided it was time to give the bears a new purpose, and one they believe Jan would have loved.
"She probably never thought that she'd have a legacy, but this is going to be her legacy," said Best. "This is what she would have wanted. That's really special."
In October, Edie posted a photo of the collection on Facebook and asked for ideas on where to donate the bears. The response was immediate. Hundreds of people reached out with suggestions.
"It's amazing how many people reached out and commented," said Best. "So many people that reached out with organizations, groups, hospitals, sheriffs' department, all these places that might benefit from having a bear."
Not sure where to start, they began small. The family boxed up over 50 bears and delivered them to Head Start in Miles City. Each child could receive one bear, just in time for the holidays.
“The room is going to seem empty," said Best. "But it's like we want them to go to someone that's going to love them as much as she did.”
The family kept a few of their favorites, but most of the remaining bears will be donated to organizations and charities in Billings, where Best lives. They recently gave several more to the Ronald McDonald House. Best, who owns Billings Animal Family Hospital, also plans to display several in her new building on First Avenue North and hopes to hold an annual “bear drive” on her mother’s birthday.
Still, letting go hasn’t been easy.
“When these bears leave, there's going to be a certain vague spot in the basement and in my heart, because that's part of her legacy,” said Ballensky. "It's something that you don't do overnight. It's a lifelong application.”
Even through their grief, the family said the bears are now finding new meaning as they head into new homes.
"The bottom line, do we ever own anything? No. You use it while you're here, you pass, and somebody else will use it,” said Ballensky. "You get attached to something, and you think you really have to have it when, in essence, when you pass, somebody else will have it. So life goes on.”
For Best, the hope is that others recognize that the things we cherish do not vanish when we’re gone. Instead, they carry our stories forward for those who hold them next.
“She would joke about it like, 'Well, you guys get to deal with this when I'm gone, like have fun with that,' but I think that's what she would have wanted, is children, people that are gonna appreciate them,” said Best. "She did it because she loved it, and then hoping that it can be something that can bring other people joy.”
