Alumnae Story
Why Be a Lifetime Member?

By Kit Hower
From Coopersburg, Pa.

I have been a Girl Scout since I was ten and have a whole list of wonderful memories, but I needed a forum to tell you how valuable this lifetime membership is.

My given name is Christopher but I have been called "Kit" since I was born. After my husband's death and all of the new security that has evolved since 9/11, I decided to take "Kit" off of my social security card and make it jive with my other "official" IDs. The day I turned 65 I went off to the social security office with all the paperwork they had sent me when I inquired as to procedure. The wait was long but I finally approached the window and stated my case. The young woman who helped me said that I would have to go to court to "change my name" and I replied that I really wasn't changing anything but the name on the social security card which I had had since I was 16. Once she understood what I was trying to do, we came to the next barrier; in order to do this you must present two forms of official ID with the name you are trying to remove. I had no official ID with Kit on it, so she said she'd have to get a supervisor to authorize it.

In short order a woman I swear was older than I approached with arms folded across her chest and lips clenched tight and unsmiling. I thought, uh oh this isn't going to happen, but I persevered, told my story and soon heard that I'd have to go to court, to which I said I didn't think so as I was not changing my legal name, just my social security card. A lot of reprimanding ensued about how irresponsible I had been at 16, etc, but then she asked for some kind of ID and I started with my checkbook which lists me as Christopher (Kit) T. Hower and my business card, to which she said I could have managed that business so they wouldn't be sufficient. I began pulling out credit cards in Kit T. Hower and other cards, to which I kept getting no's, until I pulled out my lifetime membership to Girl Scouts which I have had since its inception, and to my surprise she took it and said, well, yes we can try this. I was thrilled and it did go through, but that isn't the end of the story. I guess she felt like she had to save some face or something so she said, "Well, you know we do get a lot of folks in here who want to change their sex." I said, yeah, right at 65! And I kept a straight face until I got out the door. Then I could hardly wait to get out of there and call my kids and tell them the story. Guess you're never too old to have Girl Scouts save you.

I'm still involved with a Girl Scout Interest Group whom I have trained to work with, and show, my alpacas. It is still as much fun as it was in my heyday!