Sure, they were a bit chilly on Friday and Saturday. Maybe even a little frozen.

But as the weekend went on, the firefighters and friends gathered for the Box 5 Association's "Cold for a Cause" event, held Nov. 30 to Dec. 2, were warmed by a big bonfire, then by warming temperatures, and finally by the generosity of all who stopped by to support the cause.

The Box 5 Association -- made up of Onset firefighters, friends, and family -- collected donations for Christmas food baskets at a campsite at the corner of Main Avenue and Cranberry Highway in Onset. The event supported the organization's annual effort to help families in need during the holiday season.

"It's not bad at all," Box 5's Derek Fortes said of the chilly temperatures on Saturday afternoon, as the fire blazed at the campsite.

It wasn't bad, but that didn't keep the Box 5 volunteers from noticing the brisk drop in temperature from Friday evening into the early morning hours on Saturday.

"The snow didn't start until 4:25 in the morning," Fortes noted. "We noticed because we looked at our watches. We had nothing else to do!" he joked.

Donors (sympathizers?) dropped of tons of nonperishable food items, and even a few toys, which Fortes says will be donated to the Dick Melloni Youth Foundation's annual toy drive.

Temperatures had climbed into the mild mid-50s by Sunday afternoon, and the crew was singing a different tune.

"We were going to cross out 'cold' and write 'Warm for a Cause," Fortes said, gesturing toward the event's signs that lined Cranberry Highway, as Christmas music played on a small boom box inside a big white tent.

Perhaps due to Sunday's warm weather, the Box 5 volunteers saw a stream of cars from approximately 8:30 a.m. to early afternoon, Fortes said. A few generous donors dropped off hundreds of dollars worth of food.

Sunday "was an extraordinary day," Fortes said, adding: "It was a great turnout this year!"

Even as the temperatures warmed, the fire was kept blazing from noon on Friday, when the event kicked off, to 3 p.m. on Sunday, when Box 5 packed everything up.

"The fire never dies," Fortes said.

Dunkin Donuts donated hot coffee and doughnuts to help fuel the volunteers (and anyone who showed up to say "hello"), and Lindsey's Family Restaurant dropped off clam chowder.

In addition to donations of nonperishable food, the Box 5 Association collected monetary donations to assist with the effort. A $5 donation earned donors a chance to win two tickets to the Dec. 10 New England Patriots vs. Houston Texans game at Gillette Stadium. A lucky winner was drawn on Sunday.

Food donors were entered into drawings to win items from several sponsors — from Home Depot to the Shirt Shack, Pizza Boy, and the Breakfast Nook.

"It's our way of giving back," Fortes said of Cold for a Cause, noting that all of the Box 5 Association's members "had a part" in it.