The Berkshire County Board of REALTORS® is proud to recognize Jim Thurston as the recipient of the 2026 Good Neighbor Award, honoring REALTORS® whose volunteer efforts make a meaningful difference in the communities they serve.
Industry & Community Leadership
Jim’s commitment to giving back is exemplified through his leadership service to the board and his incredibly active role in community outreach on our behalf. Jim was the founder of the Berkshire REALTORS® Charity Golf Tournament benefiting Berkshire Community Action Council (BCAC) in 2025. Jim worked alongside fellow REALTORS®, affiliates, sponsors, volunteers, and Association staff to organize an event that has become an important source of funding for local families in need.
Over the past two years, Jim has personally devoted dozens of volunteer hours to planning and organizing the tournament, recruited additional volunteers, contributed financial support, and helped raise $17,500 in collaboration with the REALTORS® Community Service Committee for Berkshire Community Action Council, and he is hard at work making the 2026 tournament a raving success.
Outreach Impact
BCAC awarded the Berkshire County Board a Community Hero earlier this year, thanks to his efforts leading this fundraiser. He also works with the Fair Housing & Inclusion Committee on tabling outreach in the Berkshires making homeownership resources accessible, and is involved with all of our charity events – from a Halloween Bowling Fundraiser, directing traffic for the Thanksgiving Basket pickup at South Congregational Church to our Battle of the Bartenders fundraisers (with superhero flair). He is also very engaged with the Advocacy work we do, at the local, state and national levels.
REALTOR Community Building
The golf tournament alone helps promote economic stability and reducing the effects of poverty throughout Berkshire County by helping provide essential services such as heating assistance, food, clothing, and other critical resources for residents facing hardship. What makes Jim’s service especially meaningful is his ability to bring people together. By encouraging fellow REALTORS®, business partners, and community organizations to work toward a common cause, he has helped transform a charitable event into a collaborative effort that directly benefits neighbors across Berkshire County.
Jim’s impact extends beyond the tournament itself. While serving as 2025 Berkshire MLS President, Co-Chair of the Finance Committee, Chair of the REALTOR® Community Service Golf Subcommittee, and an active member of numerous other Berkshire REALTORS® committees, Jim consistently uses his leadership positions to encourage member involvement in community service. Whether speaking at New Member Orientations, advocating for property rights at REALTOR® Day on Beacon Hill or Capitol hill, or organizing charitable initiatives, he leads by example—bringing REALTORS® together to strengthen both the Association and the communities it serves.
Please join the Berkshire County Board of REALTORS® in congratulating Jim Thurston on receiving the 2026 Good Neighbor Award. His generosity, leadership, and dedication to community service embody the REALTOR® spirit and remind us that REALTORS® strengthen communities not only through homeownership, but through service to others.
Send Jim congratulations via text 413-329-4780 or email jthurston@lamacchiarealty.com