For the second year, a group of local businesses are facing off in a friendly competition to see who can drum up the most donations for Wareham families in need this holiday season.

In one corner is Sinners & Saints Tattoo, Old Iron Gym, and Total Auto Concepts. In the second corner is TarraDean Studio and the Narrows Crossing Restaurant.

The guys

Sinners & Saints Tattoo, Old Iron Gym, and Total Auto Concepts are collecting toys and nonperishable food, which will be donated to the John W. Decas School's efforts to help its families during the holidays, as well as to a local Meals on Wheels program.

The guys are calling the effort "Cans for Community."

Sinners & Saints owner Roger Chouinard began to explain the effort: "With us keeping the donations local, we strive to show the community…"

And the Old Iron Gym's Rob Faria finished: "…that Wareham is a town that takes care of its own."

Jennifer Rinta, the wife of Sinners & Saints artist Andrew Rinta, helped organize the Decas School aspect of the drive.

Old Iron Gym is the drive's defending champion. Last year, the gym's members helped collect the most food among the guys' businesses.

"A lot of townspeople do come to our businesses, and it's a way of giving back," said Chouinard.

Faria agreed, saying: "We'll always be here for the community."

Donation bins are set up at each location. Gift cards to supermarkets will also be accepted.

And the girls may have some fierce competition: "Anything collected will be matched by all three businesses," said Chouinard.

If interested in helping the guys' drive, contact Chouinard at 508-295-1366, or Faria at 508-291-7479.

Sinners & Saints is located at 37 Depot Street in East Wareham, Old Iron Gym is located at 3086 Cranberry Highway in East Wareham, and Total Auto Concepts is located at 2544 Cranberry Highway in Wareham.

The girls

Lauren McCarthy works at both TarraDean Studio and the Narrows Crossing Restaurant, and has organized a drive to collect toiletries and nonperishable food, which will be donated to Turning Point, a Wareham-based nonprofit that helps the homeless and near-homeless with necessities.

"I wanted to try something different, because everybody always does food and toys," McCarthy noted. "We're a salon, so collecting toiletries kind of goes hand-in-hand."

With the support of salon owner and master stylist Tarra Dean, the team has already collected a number of toiletries.

On a wish-list are unopened products such as shampoo and conditioner, razors and shaving cream, toothbrushes and toothpaste, lotion and hand sanitizer, feminine hygiene products, diapers and baby wipes, deodorant, hair brushes, and combs.

Buying toiletries "is expensive," McCarthy noted, adding that she plans to keep the drive going through New Year's. "I'm thinking, a new year, a new beginning."

But of course, food is always needed. Both food and toiletries will be accepted at a bin at the Narrows.

"It's good to team up and reach out," McCarthy said.

Fun fact: The ladies' efforts don't stop with toiletries. The salon is also "adopting" Turning Point families and providing them with gifts this holiday season. (Dean is one of Santa's elves. She stops by the families' homes and finds out what everyone wants for Christmas, and the salon employees and customers pitch in!)

TarraDean Studio is located at 6 Union Avenue in Onset. Narrows Crossing is located at 1 Narrows Road in Wareham.