SALISBURY, N.B. -- When staff at the Salisbury Royal Canadian Legion realized one of their heat pumps had been stolen, they were unsure if they could afford to replace it -- but then a total stranger warmed their hearts.

The branch celebrates its 85th anniversary later this month, but just weeks before Christmas, it was the target of a real-life Grinch.

"Someone went out around the building and came back in and said 'the machine is gone' and she couldn't believe it," said legion president Susan Dryden. "So she messaged me and said 'we have a problem.'"

Six heat pumps were installed two years ago at the legion with the help of a financial grant.

Dryden says she was devastated to learn that one of the pumps had been stolen off the back of the building.

"We really try and involve ourselves in the community and for things like this to happen, it's very disheartening that they would do this to anyone but especially to someone that is there for everyone else," said Dryden.

But thanks to a kind stranger, the legion and its members weren't left out in the cold for long.

"I instantly sent Sue a message saying I'd like to help out, and then after that I called my local wholesaler that we buy LG heat pumps from and I asked them if they'd step up and donate one and they gladly did," said Rob Fillmore, who owns Fillmore Heating and Cooling. Fillmore offered to install the brand new heat pump, free of charge.

"I wanted to help out and I actually said to my girlfriend last week that I wanted to do something nice for someone for Christmas, so this just fell out of the sky, and I was more than happy to help," Fillmore said.

"I was speechless, I just didn't even know what to think, and other companies have also offered but, you go with your first angel that has arrived," Dryden said.

Fillmore, whose grandfather served in the Second World War, says the incident really hit home.

"Stuff like this, it bothers ya because who would steal from a legion?" Fillmore said. "To cause $2,000 in damage to get $20 in scrap metal? It's unnecessary."

With the installation of the new heat pump complete Monday afternoon, Dryden says she can't thank her group of "angels" enough.

"It's been a whirlwind few days, but it's good to know there's still kindness out there and people will step up and help when it's needed," said Dryden.