By PHYLLIS ZORN

Staff writer

Now that weather is getting nippy, retired district judge Michael Powers has a parting gift to keep him warm.

When Powers announced his retirement, courthouse custodian Sherri Buller wanted ideas to make him a unique retirement gift.

She was motivated by how well everyone at the courthouse gets along and how much they would miss seeing him there.

After talking to women who work in the district court office, she began a quilt with designs of his alma mater, University of Kansas, embellished with signatures of county employees.

After stitching together the quilt, she took it around to courthouse offices so people could write their signatures on it.

She gave him the quilt as a belated parting gift in October. She hadn’t had time to finish it between Powers’ retirement announcement and his final day on the job.

“It took me probably three to four months,” Buller said.