Pass the perishables, please, and make sure to close the tailgate when you’re done.

A long line of students and Harriet Beecher Stowe School faculty passed canned goods and other food items down an assembly line toward custodian Jim Tupper’s pickup truck this morning.

Once filled, the truck left to deliver its manifest a few blocks away on Union Street at the Mid Coast Hunger Prevention Program’s pantry.

Kids and staffers collected the cans and goods all November.

Physical-education teacher Lynn D’Agostino, who has organized food drives at town schools for more than 20 years, said it was important to start the tradition at the Stowe school.

She claims usually to preside over the collection process with a whip-andchair approach. This year, however, personal issues sidetracked her cajoling and coaxing. She estimates the cornucopia to be 300 to 500 cans.

“Usually we weigh it, but this year it got ahead of us and we didn’t get a chance,” she said. “It’s not as much as usual but, with that said, every little bit helps.”

Principal Jeanne Skorapa and assistant principal Josh Levy started the can brigade, which wound its way from playground doors around the front of the building, across the blue pavement and finally to the parking lot and into Tupper’s truck.

School officials also presented MCHPP with a monetary donation raised during the school’s casual-Fridaystyle “Jeans Day.” Each week the faculty and staff choose a different local organization and make a community service donation.

Over at Brunswick Junior High School, seventh-grade students also are sponsoring a can drive.

As an incentive to reach the 500-can mark, social-studies teacher and team leader Matt Cost has offered to have his head shaved if students reach the goal.

The student who brings in the most donations will have the honor of operating the clippers.

jtleonard@timesrecord.com