Lions and tigers and bears.

And roosters, toads, zebras, giraffes and turtles, too.

More than 500 walking animal balloons and red heart balloons were delivered to Spectrum Health Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital on Valentine’s Day.

Audrey Wendt, a nurse in the emergency department at Spectrum Health Butterworth Hospital, coordinated the event.

“I wanted people to see there are good people out there and that our community is amazing when we work together,” she said.

Wendt runs a Facebook group where the community regularly rallies around good causes. Taking care of the kids at Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital on Valentine’s Day was the most recent initiative.

About 150 boxes with personalized stuffed animals and a matching blanket were delivered, along with the load of 540 balloons.

Forest Hills Foods provided 100 gift bags for patients, as well as snacks for team members and patients.

About 20 Child and Family Life team members helped haul the loads of love into the hospital, delivering bundles of balloons with smiles.

Nurses oohed and aahed as the stuffed animals made their way to patient rooms.

Erin Ledkins, 15, of Marne, picked an orangutan.

Her mom, Tammy Ledkins, joked that it matched her personality well.

“A lot of cystic fibrosis kids feel overlooked as they spend so much time in isolation,” she said. “It’s really nice to be included, and on Valentine’s Day.”

The stuffed animals even came with official adoption papers.

Mirelis Roque picked out a puppy for her daughter, Mirelis Culbeaux, 15, of Kentwood. She’s been in the hospital for seven months after being involved in a car accident.

“Mira, look at it,” Roque said as she showed Mirelis the fluffy stuffed puppy. “The blanket is her favorite color, too. Thank you so much.”

Rachel Payne, of Grand Rapids, set up 6-week-old Addy Payne with a pink flamingo that perfectly matched her outfit.

“Her nurses dress her every day in coordinated outfits,” she said. “Doctors joke that Addy is the best-dressed baby on the unit.”

Addy spent her first 6 weeks of life in the hospital but she might be going home soon. Her sister Audrey, 3, has been planning for her arrival for some time.

“She won’t know what to do with her when we get home,” Rachel said. “She’s been telling me where Addy will sit and how they will play for weeks now.”

Emily Erpelding, 11, of Okemos, picked a tiger.

“It almost looks like a fat Cheeto,” she said. “A flaming hot Cheeto puff!”

Will Patel, 3, of Grand Rapids, and his dad, Dharmesh Patel, sat by the window in the infusion clinic admiring the dinosaur balloon and stuffed animal they had been gifted. Will has leukemia and is a familiar face in the pediatric hematology and oncology unit.

“This kind of generosity really makes our kids smile,” said Amy Davis, manager of Child and Family Life at Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital.

It adds some welcome fun to hospital visits.

“If we can brighten the day for even a handful of kids, we have done a great job,” Davis said.