Chris and Julie McNellis taught their three kids about love and tolerance and implored them not to allow hate and anger into their hearts.
But their teaching was put to the test three years ago when the Homewood family had a nasty run-in with a neighbor. Their son, Quinn, who has Down syndrome, got stuck in the crossfire.
“For absolutely no reason the neighbor just went off on Quinn about his disability,” Julie said. “That neighbor used the R-word repeatedly in talking about our son. We were shocked.”
Rather than further engage the neighbor, the McNellises sat their kids down and had them reflect on their own attitudes and opinions toward others to make sure they didn’t act that way.
Born of that conversation was Quinn Fest, an annual gathering named after their son who came up with the idea. The event is held from 3 to 11 p.m. on the first Saturday in August at the family’s home on Burr Oak Road. Its goal is to celebrate inclusion while putting an end to hate.
“We really wanted to turn a horrible incident into a positive thing,” Chris said. “We’ve been fortunate in that we have had a lot of people support us and we are grateful.
“People can stay for five minutes or they can stay for five hours,” he said. “You can grab a hot dog and go about your day or grab a few libations and relax. It’s up to you.”
Saturday’s festivities included a swimming pool, a bounce house, a bean bag tournament, hot dogs, a Slip ‘n Slide, beverages and snacks — all on the McNellis property. The event has drawn close to 100 people in two of the three years it has been held. Rain last year cut the attendance by about half.
Quinn is a happy young man who loves his family, including his sister Maggie, 23, and brother Nolan, 19, and his two dogs, Fred and Memphis. He is active in Special Olympics, playing soccer and basketball.
And he loves the positive attention he gets at Quinn Fest.
“I feel like a celebrity,” he said. “I feel the love. I have lots of friends and family who love me.”
Nolan, a student at the University of Illinois who started playing soccer with his brother when he was 5, plays for Unified Team USA. His girlfriend Eva is a student at Loyola University. Sister Maggie graduated from Eastern Illinois University with a degree in Special Education.
Homewood resident Jennifer Schaller is a regular at Quinn Fest. She and Chris have been best friends since they were classmates at Homewood-Flossmoor High School.
“I’m here to support Quinn and his amazing family,” she said Saturday at Quinn Fest. “The main purpose here is to spread love — not hate. You can feel the love here today. It’s palpable.”
Becky Rush, a neighbor of the McNellises who has worked in social services for more than two decades, said she is good friends with the family and enjoys hanging out with them.
“They are great people and they are a great family,” she said.
Donations the family receives from the event go to support Region E Special Olympics and Gigi’s Playhouse in Tinley Park. The Rock Shop in Homewood, U.S. Safety Products and JJ Jumpers are among the businesses that have supported Quinn Fest over the years.
Jim Hook is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
