Adopt a Highway: On the Tohono O’odham Nation, the Quinns honor family and tradition

This is a story about a family of volunteers gathering to clean up litter along a state highway in Sells, Arizona. It’s the simple facts that bring this story to life. 

State Route 86 stretches a little over 118 miles from Why at the junction, or “Y,” with State Route 85 to Interstate 19 to the east. It is the primary east-west highway running through Sells, the capital of the Tohono O'odham Nation. 

Volunteer group leader Janine Quinn shared her family’s story with me after their family gathering on National CleanUp Day. Quinn told me, “We had a blast! This is our third mile we have adopted out on Hwy 86 in memory of family members!” 

The group of 10 collected 17 bags full of litter that day.  

The series of Quinn family adoptions began in 2010 with mile 134-135 along SR 86. A photo of Quinn and husband Gary taken in 2019 at their first adopted mile is featured in this Flickr album.

“We wanted our extended family to enjoy time with the spiritual Sonoran desert of our Tohono O’odham Nation reservation,” Quinn said. “Our intent was to honor our Himdag (traditional and spiritual way of life) by cleaning litter while simultaneously promoting civic service within our family.  

“In 2016, we added mile 133-134 in memory of Alex, our brother, uncle and brother-in-law. In 2023, we added mile 132-133 in memory of Norma, our sister, aunt and sister-in-law. These adopted miles encourage our family to continue this new tradition of honoring our loved ones and our reservation land.”

ADOT’s Adopt a Highway Program thanks the Quinn family of civic servants for sharing their special story of giving back to the community.

Click here for information about the Adopt a Highway Volunteer Program. A great place to start your own family tradition.