Harold & Merle Barnett

Harold and Merle Barnett have been selected as Gabrielle Giffords’ Supporters of the Month for May. Born in Chicago, Harold met Merle when she moved from California with her family to his neighborhood when they were both 9 years old. “I invited him to my Girl Scout dance,” says Merle, “He was walking down the street and I was new in the neighborhood and I didn’t know a soul!”

After having many a box of Girl Scout cookies, Merle and Harold were married and moved to Rhode Island where Harold was a professor of Economics at Rhode Island University and Merle was a textile designer and professor at the Rhode Island School of Design.

Merle’s parents retired to Tucson and eventually Harold decided to take a year sabbatical from teaching. They came to Tucson, the year sabbatical turned into a three-year slow retirement, and they haven’t left since.

Merle volunteers regularly at the Jewish Community Center as well as a Court Appointed Special Advocate and they both cite Gabrielle’s intelligence and energy as key reasons why they would vote for her again. “I remember that Harold heard Gabby speak at a forum and he came home that night saying ‘We have to support her. She really knows the issues in-depth,’” says Merle. “We were both very impressed with her intellect.”