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    Association Highlights

REALTOR® Community Service

Mission

To involve the Board in public service programs to upgrade the quality of life in communities throughout our Board's jurisdiction, as evidence of REALTORS® concern for the total well being of the community.

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Berkshire County Board of REALTORS

$40,622 Donations 2006-2007 YTD

Homeless Dinner

• Berkshire REALTORS® join together to shop, cook and serve dinner for the homeless. Volunteers host a monthly dinner for 50-100 and one large dinner is held annually that serves over 200 residents and families in need.
  2007: Berkshire Soup Kitchen, South Congregational Church Homeless Meal – 107 served

Red Cross Wrapping

• REALTORS® join at the Berkshire Mall to wrap presents to benefit the American Red Cross. They make Christmas merry not only for those who have their presents loving decorated, but also for the Red Cross coiffeurs.
  2006: REALTORS run the wrapping booth at Mall – 10 (2 hours each) 10-4

Relay for Life

• The Berkshire REALTOR® Dream Team participates in a 24 hour relay to raise money for cancer prevention and awareness for the American Cancer Society. This national event is a "Celebration of Life" where teams walk around Pontoosuc Lake in relay fashion. Thousands of dollars have been raised by the REALTOR® relay members.
  2007: $6250 Donations for Relay for Life (4^th place) 2006: $5,241 Raised by American Dream Team

Non-Profit Grant Writing

• The Berkshire REALTORS® annually draft a grant application for the Massachusetts Association of REALTORS Charitable and Educational Foundation in honor of organizations with outstanding service and support in our Berkshire Community.
  Past History: $1,000 Awarded - Contruct, Inc., Berkshire Community Action Council (BCAC). $1,500 Grant Awarded - Berkshire Homeless Childrens Fund and $9,000 Berkshire County Red Cross, Disaster Recovery

Dinner Baskets

• Hundreds of Berkshire citizens struggle to survive and each holiday Berkshire REALTORS® host a great dinner basket drive to feed families in need. Thousands of dollars is raised, food is bought, organized and distributed, feeding in excess of 75 families on Easter and over 160 families (800 people) at Thanksgiving. Meals include a family sized turkey or ham, bag of potatoes, gravy, stuffing, vegetables, pie, rolls, drinks and much more.
  2007: $2440 Easter, 2006: $3430 Easter, $6720, 168 families Thanksgiving,

Daffodil Days

• Each spring, the REALTORS® help the American Cancer Society raise funds through the sale of bouquets of daffodils to fund cancer research and prevention programs. The REALTORS® also take to the Berkshire Mall to sell hundreds of bouquets to the public.
  2006: $1,201 Total Donations $ 1029; sales at Mall $ 172

Holiday Elves

• We commit to provide a Merry Christmas for many children struggling with poverty, ensuring gifts and warm clothing make their way under the tree for kids who are truly in need.
  2006: $3500  Berkshire Community Action Council Holiday Elves Program – 35 children sponsored

Backpack & luggage collections

• The entire board works to provide disadvantaged kids with school backpacks and foster children with bags to hold their possessions. This program generated hundreds of bags donated in the fall to meet local needs.
  2007: $1,500 Berkshire Community Action Council, Back Packs for Foster Kids – 100 collected  

Disaster Relief Fundraising

• As major disasters occur, either locally or across the world, the Berkshire REALTORS® work to raise funds and assistance for those in need. Efforts have included fund and supply raising after 9-11, tsunami, Katrina, etc.
  $200 Annual Donation to Massachusetts Association of REALTORS Charitable & Educational Foundation

Cell Phones for Soldiers

• At holiday time many members and their families receive a wonderful present of new electronic equiptment. What a perfect time for the REALTOR® collection of used cell phones to provide a much needed communication vehicle to our soliders oversees. Each donated phone is recycled and traded to a reseller for pre-paid phone cards for our soldiers abroad.
  2007: In Progress

BCAC Food Pantry

• As time goes by and the shelves go bare, the REALTORS® periodically hold food pantry drives to restock the shelves.
  Can Good Collections As Needed

Charitable Donations and Support of Good Causes

• Fundraising and donations account for some activities of the committee. In the past, certain causes have been supported, but generally the committee seeks to activily work on projects, rather than just provide financial support. $250 Christian Center Soup Kitchen with Proceeds from REALTOR Day at Fenway, $750 annually to Berkshire Community College Scholarship Fund, $6,540 Civitan of Pittsfield received proceeds from co-sponsored golf tournament, $1,650 Berkshire Community Action Council Southern Berkshire donation made from proceeds of South Council Holiday party.

Chairperson's Responsibilities:

• Ensure that the budgeted expenses and contributions do not exceed the RCS revenue. The Board of Directors of the Board can grant additional requests for funds, if the chairperson deems a request is necessary.

• Report to the Board of Directors monthly

• Submit activity summary to the Website and eNewsletter.