Longtime Southern California Regional Group (SCRG) officer Ken Asam has been awarded a Certificate of Appreciation at the annual Visual Impairment Services Team (VIST) barbecue of Greater Los Angeles. The July 24 event honored Ken following his service as the SCRG president and paid tribute to his penchant for turning adversity into new opportunities.

The Certificate, signed by VIST Coordinators Dunia Lara (Sepulveda) and Lisa Mitchell (Los Angeles and West Los Angeles), reads as follows: “Ken Asam, for your dedicated service to the Blinded Veterans Association and the Greater Los Angeles Visual Impairment Services Team Program.”

“We thank you, Ken, and congratulations,” recently elected regional group president Cheri Owen affirmed, both as the award was presented and afterward in informing BVA National Headquarters of the recognition.

Ken originally suffered a retinal vein occlusion and lost first the vision in his left eye. He was given an OrCam visual assistance device by VA but, because the manual was inadequate, he wrote a training outline using the skills he learned as a Technical Instructor. Doing so, he said, turned adversity into a learning and teaching opportunity. He meticulously taught himself how to use the device and wrote a lesson plan that was later adopted by VA as the OrCam training document.