Saluting Blossoms Forever

The husband and wife combination of Doug and Judy Myers have been selected as recipients of the Distinctive Service Award to be given out at the upcoming annual BP Education Foundation banquet.
Their awards will be presented to them on Saturday, Oct. 2 at the Blooming Prairie Servicemen's Club. Social hour is from 5-6 p.m., dinner will be served at 6 pm. and a program follows at 7 p.m.
Tickets can be purchased by contacting Sue Zwiener at New York Life office or by messaging the BP Education Foundation on its Facebook page.
Judy and Doug attended first grade together in Blooming Prairie. Both are BPHS graduates of 1960. Following high school, Judy enrolled at St. Mary's School of Nursing and Doug enrolled at Austin Junior College.
Judy graduated from St. Mary's as a certified LPN nurse in 1961. Doug completed the two-year junior college program of 1961-62.
Wedding vows were said between Judy and Doug at the Blooming Prairie First Baptist Church on June 16, 1962.
Judy's first nursing job was at Immanuel Hospital in Mankato. Doug enrolled at Mankato State and became an orderly at the Immanuel Hospital.
Doug graduated with a BS degree in elementary education and was then employed as a fourth grade teacher in Stillwater. Judy was employed as a nurse in the Stillwater clinic.
The Myers' first child, a son Brent, was born in 1966 at the Stillwater Hospital. Another son, Mitchell, was born in 1968 at the Stillwater Hospital.
Doug served as principal at Bayport School and Lake Elmo Elementary. He taught evening classes to inmates at the Stillwater Prison.
The Myers family relocated to Watertown, S.D. in 1971. That's where Doug served as principal at Mellette Elementary School.
Doug's leaning toward education administration began when he earned a specialist degree in school administration at St. Cloud State University.
While the Myers family lived in Watertown, Judy served as a bus driver/nurse for Watertown. His educational ascension began with him moving from curriculum director to director of instruction to assistant superintendent in the Watertown School District.
Doug and Judy were both active in their church and Doug trained as a Bethel Bible teacher.
Tragedy struck the Myers family in January 1978 when son Mitchell was struck by a car and was killed.
Doug received a 1981 IDEA Fellow award. He was granted a sabbatical leave from Watertown schools in 1988-89 to study in a doctoral program at the University of South Dakota.
Doug's educational career continued to blossom as he became an assistant superintendent of the Rock Island, Ill. school district. Judy's nursing career continued as she worked in the Head Start program in Davenport, Iowa.
 
Doug's big promotion came in 1991 as he became superintendent of schools in Austin, Minnesota. He held that position until 1999.
Doug served on the Red Cross Board of Directors, Hormel Foundation Board of Directors, the Austin Public Education Foundation Board of Directors, Hursh Foundation Board of Directors and the United Way Board of Directors. Doug and Judy were both active in many community activities.
From 1999 to the current time, the Myers have continued to be active in the Blooming Prairie community. Doug and Judy served with others in chairing the first Blossom All School Reunion. They developed, and for 10 years wrote and distributed the "Blossoms Forever" Alumni and Friends newsletter.
They greeted and drove each year's Blossoms Forever honorees in each Fourth of July parade.
With others, the Myers's created a way to honor alumni and friends via the categories of Distinctive Service, Athletics Hall of Fame and Honored Teacher/Administrator/Staff Member. They and others developed and established the Awesome Blossoms Forever recognition plaque area at BPHS.
The Myers family also created the Alice Myers Scholarships to be granted to graduating BPHS seniors who had been primarily raised by a single mother and who indicated they would pursue additional education or training after graduating. From 2007-21, 23 women and men have received at least $1,000 to use as they choose.
Doug and Judy Myers also worked with others in creating and implementing an annual Education Foundation honoree banquet. Both Judy and Doug have served as master of ceremonies at the annual BP Education annual banquet.
In Austin, Doug and Judy have served on several First United Methodist Church committees. They helped develop "Emerging Ministries" as a result of a large monetary gift.
Doug and Judy worked with Mower County Public Health Nurses in protecting court- ordered children in need of foster care.
They also helped write materials provided in each bag to assist parents in helping children become ready for kindergarten.