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More than 20k items fill Florida web designer’s Winnie-the-Pooh Collection

by Sean Martinelli - 6:38 PM EDT, Wed August 18, 2021
Read the article at NBC2

WINTER HAVEN, Fla. – The city of Winter Haven isn’t exactly the “Hundred Acre Wood”, but inside Deb Hoffmann’s home, it certainly feels like it.

For more than 50 years, Deb has collected thousands of Winnie-the-Pooh related items. Between her home in Winter Haven and another in Wisconsin, the number of unique objects totals more than 20,000.

“I consider myself to be the crazy Pooh lady and I’m okay with that,” Deb said with a laugh.

Deb began her collection in 1967 with a Winnie-the-Pooh telephone. That led to mountains of stuffed animals, coffee mugs, cell phone cases and more.

“Everybody in life should have something that they’re excited about, ” Gary, Deb’s husband, said. “If she’s excited and happy about the collection then I’m happy for her.”

Deb officially set a Guinness World Record for Pooh items in 2009. Back, then she had just over 4,400 items, about a quarter of what she has now.

Along with Deb’s collection, there have been Pooh-related trips, including to the home of A.A. Milne, who authored the original children’s series.

“This has brought so much joy and so much fun to our family that hopefully, it empassions someone else to do the same thing,” Deb said.