It’s that time of year when Bax & O’Brien show that, all evidence from the other 362.83 days of the year notwithstanding, they are, in fact, real sweethearts.

At six o’clock this morning, the Rock 102 pair kicked off the 2013 “Mayflower Marathon,” their annual food- and fundraiser for Open Pantry’s emergency food pantry. The boys will be camped out in the parking lot of the Basketball Hall of Fame until 10 a.m. Wednesday morning, with the goal of collecting enough non-perishable food items to fill three 48-foot trailers. (You can also donate money, there or through Rock 102’s website.) Joining them will be a rotating cast of special guests, including Meredith Baxter (a.k.a. the mom from “Family Ties”), John Ratzenberger (a.k.a. Cliff from “Cheers”) and U.S. Rep. Richie Neal (a.k.a. The Congressman).

Last year’s marathon raised $103,000 in food and cash donations for Open Pantry. This year, that agency and others like it are likely to experience even greater demand for support, especially with the recent cut in SNAP benefits. As Mike Baxendale (a.k.a. Bax – duh) put it on the B&O’B blog: “Think about that the next time you’re sucking down that $9 latte with the caramel swirl and the non-fat soy milk.”