To the Editor:

The British aren’t coming but the Pan Mass Challenge is - all 5,000 of them.

On Saturday, August 6, the Pan-Massachusetts Challenge will come through Wareham for the 31^st year.  Having raised over $300 million dollars in total for cancer research, the organization has set an ambitious goal for this year: $34 million.

The organization is unique in many ways, not the least of which is that every dollar raised by the riders goes to the treatment of cancer at Dana-Farber.  All the rest of the expenses are taken care of by an army of over 3,000 volunteers and corporate donations.

Wareham is second only to Provincetown in importance because all of the riders come through here on their way for an overnight stay at the Maritime Academy. The Wareham Police are prepared with a detailed traffic-control plan that was implemented successfully last year. The Department should be commended for their excellent cooperation. Our thanks to Chief Stanley and his men and women.

And yes, there will be delays, but measure that against what is being accomplished: A greater good.

Dick Paulsen

PMC rider from 1992 to 2000