SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – South Tahoe Now is recognizing locals who make a difference in the community through volunteering, good deeds, and helping others. The first one to be recognized is Bob Harms.

Many know Bob as he rides his bike for fun or to the many events in South Lake Tahoe he attends, a bike equipped with an assortment of horns and a bucket to collect any trash he finds along his route.

Bob moved to South Lake Tahoe from Los Gatos, California, on October 18, 1972, to take a job at Heavenly Valley. When he arrived, there was no snow, and there wasn’t enough snow to open until Thanksgiving. He was at the 76 gas station that used to be on Stateline Avenue, and asked the staff where he should go to find a job that started right away. Like many, he popped over the state line and got hired at Harrah’s as a night houseman.

Bob cares about the appearance of the community, and that has been a passion over the last 53 years in South Lake Tahoe. Bill Harrah was always one to make sure every piece of trash was picked up, every glass picked up, every light bulb working – just as Bob does.

When Heavenly opened up, Bob was working on the lifts and living his best Tahoe life. That first winter also included heavy rain in February, prompting the resort to close. Hugh Killebrew, the owner at the time, had just met with employees to tell them what a great job they were doing and how they were working at the greatest resort in the world, and two days later, the rain came. Killebrew gave employees food tokens so they could eat in the cafeteria. Bob ran into him while in line to eat and pulled the resort owner aside to show him the trash that was around Heavenly. Bob smiles now, remembering a 20-year-old “kid” telling the boss about the trash.

But it worked.

After Heavenly, Bob was at Edgewood for five summers as the greenskeeper, then moved to the City of South Lake Tahoe for 27 years. With the City, he spent 10 years in street maintenance, and 17 years with Parks and Recreation in summer and snow removal in winter. He retired in 2003 and has been volunteering ever since.

Bob just celebrated his 78th birthday this week, but he never stops doing things for a plethora of groups in South Lake Tahoe.

The list of his volunteering is a long one, and these are groups he volunteers for all year long: The Lake Tahoe Historical Society, League to Save Lake Tahoe, Encompass Youth, Valhalla Tahoe (he is an original volunteer there), Bread & Broth both as a cook and a kid’s bag packer, Barton Auxiliary, Kiwanis, Celebrity Golf for 31 years, Soroptimist of Tahoe Sierra, Drug Store Project, Celio work days, Sober Grad Night (for over 20 years), Boys and Girls Club of Lake Tahoe, STHS Booster Golf Tournament, and the Sugar Pine Foundation.

In his free time, he’s always picking up trash. Bob’s number one pet peeve is the curbside appearance of businesses in South Lake Tahoe along Lake Tahoe Boulevard. He would love to see people spruce up their properties, which would improve both their image and that of the city.

“Businesses need to put on a better front,” said Bob. He’d love to see a can of paint, a broom, and weed pulling at many of those along the highway.

Bob takes life with a smile, one of his four guiding principles:

  • Smile
  • Pick Up Litter
  • Listen
  • Make Good Choices

Be like Bob (pictured above in front of the Lake Tahoe History Museum).

The Pay It Forward Project is recognizing everyone honored with Making A Difference on South Tahoe Now with a gift card and a letter thanking them for their service.

To nominate someone for Making a Difference in South Lake Tahoe, send an email with a photo (if you have one) to paula@southtahoenow.com.