UPTON (CBS) – Christmas came early for a group of veterans in Upton who had their exercise equipment stolen last week.

VFW Post #5594 put four machines under the carport of their facility on Milford Street with a sign that said ‘$50 or best offer.’   They placed a recliner there once before with a sign and sold it.

“I just expected someone to call and make an offer and tell me whatever piece they were interested in,” Commander Joseph McMahon told WBZ-TV last week.

The items were stolen.

Since then, the vets have received two new pieces of equipment to sell donated by a man in Medfield.

Donations are up to about $550. That’s more than double what they would have gotten from the original equipment they put outside.

The vets now want to pay it forward.

They will use the money to pay off debt on a new roof and help others as the holidays approach.