Why do our members continue to renew year after year?

Because they can visit the world without leaving San Diego. Each year our visitors arrive from Kenya, Brazil, China, Benin, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, India, Pakistan, Iraq, Iran, Bahrain and on and on it goes.
Because they can sit down across from each other at dinner and talk face to face and learn and connect.
Because they are touched by their encounters with others from around the world.

A True Story by Bruce Hopkins,
CDCSD Member for 23 years

While we were enjoying the Symphony concert with our visitors last Sunday evening, the conductor announced the Symphony would be playing the service medley.

This common musical rendition involves the orchestra playing the songs of all the uniformed services. Audience members who are serving or have served in the particular outfit are invited to stand during that song.
In San Diego they always play the Navy song “Anchor’s Aweigh” last since there are so many current and retired Navy folks living here.

One or our Ukrainian guests had said that he had served as an officer in the Russian Navy for ten years before the breakup of the Soviet Union.

I invited him to stand with me during the Navy song. He did so and afterward said that if anyone would have predicted that he would be in San Diego celebrating a U.S. Navy song with an American Naval officer he would have told them they were crazy.

We savored the special moment and exchanged a high five.

Friend: Individual $50
Friend: Couple $75
Supporter: Individual $100
Supporter: Couple $150
Patron: Family $300
Benefactor: $500