BETHLEHEM, Pa. — The crisp scent of fresh pine filled the air as a group of police officers, firefighters and car mechanics flung Christmas trees across a parking lot.
The holiday horseplay — 41 people signed up to partake in the fun — was to see which evergreen could be tossed the farthest.
The shenanigans occurred Saturday at the annual Peter Kearns Memorial Christmas Tree Toss — a tradition founded in 2002.
The event, held Saturday at More Miles Automotive at 1458 Stefko Blvd., raised nearly $3,000 for Turning Point of Lehigh Valley, a nonprofit organization serving victims of domestic abuse.
Remembering a friend and father
Organizer Mike DeCrosta, armed with a single measuring wheel, read aloud the participants' respective results.
The winners: Bethlehem police officer Vincent Correll (men's throw), Ann Shanley (women's throw) and Sean Kearns (most unique throw).
The trio was given $30 gift cards, but, in the spirit of the season, handed them back to DeCrosta to be donated back to Turning Point.
Sean Kearns' father, Peter Kearns, founded the Christmas tree toss 22 years ago.
"If Peter was still alive, not only would the tree toss be going on, but there would have been a goat and probably a sheep out there and a group of guys carrying in a banner for support for whatever he felt was a justifiable cause at this point in our lives."Event organizer Mike DeCrosta
"One thing about Peter is that he went above and beyond and everything he did," DeCrosta said of his friend who died in 2016.
"If Peter was still alive, not only would the tree toss be going on, but there would have been a goat and probably a sheep out there and a group of guys carrying in a banner for support for whatever he felt was a justifiable cause at this point in our lives."
Sean Kearns remembers how the Christmas tree toss came to be.
Peter Kearns and his buddy, former Bethlehem police officer Pat McFadden, were at Kearns' garage (Meineke Car Care Center) and started drinking Jameson whiskey.
As the liquor poured out of the bottle, so did the grievances, until one person grabbed Kearns' Christmas tree and kicked it.
"We actually had the event at the [Bethlehem] police stable one year, where the police actually threw it off in horses. They've always been so great with, you know, helping this event,"
The hysterical incident gave Kearns the idea to hold a tree toss but for goodwill.
"It was a spur of darkness and the joy came from the darkness," Sean Kearns said.
The event has changed over the years.
The police are not summoned to close down Stefko Boulevard so the tree tossers can march down the street, and the ceremonial farm animals (goats and donkeys) are no longer brought in — they belonged to Peter Kearns' neighbor, who owned a farm.
Still, the pure intention of the tradition is present, as evident by Saturday's turnout.
"We actually had the event at the [Bethlehem] police stable one year, where the police actually threw it off in horses. They've always been so great with, you know, helping this event," DeCrosta said.
"But in my mind, as far as the amount of people, this was the most people that we have had come out to the event since the end of COVID, so it was great to see that."
