Our View: Stealth

It’s hard to believe, but the Cape Cod Baseball League postseason begins this week. As of this writing on Tuesday, the initial division semifinals have been set, with three of the teams in our coverage area — Brewster, Chatham and Harwich — vying for a shot at the prestigious league championship, expected to be played early next week.

 Frankly, the early August conclusion to the baseball season always sneaks up on us. Even though there are still weeks remaining to the summer, it’s the first sign that the hot, languid days we’ve been enjoying will soon give way to cooler evenings, fewer hours of daylight and changing leaves.

 What has also snuck up on us this summer is reaching the goal of The Chronicle’s Summertime Helping Neighbors fundraising drive for the Family Pantry of Cape Cod almost a month before the campaign is slated to end. We aimed to raise $110,000 — an ambitious figure, we surmised, but one worthy of striving toward. Many readers responded generously, as they always do, and with a few unanticipated large donations, the drive exceeded that goal this week.

 Does that mean we can relax during the weeks remaining before the Labor Day conclusion of our drive? Of course not. We set our goal to challenge our readers, and ourselves, but in some ways it is arbitrary. The more we can raise for the Pantry, the more the nonprofit will be able to address food insecurity on the Cape, which rises as we transition to the fall and many local residents have their hours cut back or their seasonal jobs end. It’s not time to rest on our laurels and congratulate ourselves — that can come later when we tally the final numbers and the Pantry begins ramping up for the fall rush. And then we do it all over again at the holidays to help the agency prepare for what is always a long winter for many Cape Codders.

 Thanks to our readers for stepping up and grabbing the fundraising ring we set so high. It’s a testament to the empathy and care people have for their neighbors, many of whom need a helping hand in this difficult economy.