Chocolate and jazz will be combined for a special Valentine’s Day event at the Pioneer Memorial Library on Feb. 14 in Colby.

The Colby Community College Jazz Band, directed by Tony Schroer, will be performing while the audience indulges in chocolate and desserts beginning at 7 p.m. in the basement of the library.

There is no charge to attend. Donations will be accepted.

For more information, contact the library at 460-4470.

Colby Community College and Colby High School are working together to collect non-perishable food items for Genesis Thomas County. 

Circle K Club and Student Government members from the college and Student Council members from the high school will be collecting food items at the college game on Feb. 8 and the high school game on Feb. 9.

The Trojans will play Seward on Feb. 8 with the women’s game starting at 6 p.m. at the Community Building.  Admission to the college game is three non-perishable items per person. 

Colby High School will play Dodge City on Feb. 9.  Admission to high school games at the Community Building and the High School will be three non-perishable items.

Representatives from the college and high school groups will be working at both games. 

The food items will be delivered to Genesis on Feb. 18.

For more information, contact CCC Athletic Director Ryan Sturdy at 460-5548 or Christy Garretson at 460-5300. 

Melinda Olson have announced the receipt of approximately $1.37 million dollars from a trust established by Pat Embree.  The college received approximately $1 million dollars and TCCF received $370,000.

 Embree, a long-time resident of Colby, graduated from Colby High School in 1950.  She met her husband Max while attending the University of Kansas.  They were married June 9, 1953.  Following graduation from KU, they moved to Colby in 1955. 

In addition to farming and ranching, the Embrees were active supporters of Colby Community College, the Prairie Museum of Art and History and the Thomas County Historical Society.  They provided service and leadership to the agricultural community for over 50 years.

Pat died in October 2005.  Max died at the age of 80 on July 10, 2011.

“The Embrees contributed to the success and growth of many organizations in Thomas County and western Kansas,” said Wells.  “Their service was not just limited to Colby and the agricultural community; they were active in local and state Democratic Party affairs and served in leadership roles on several boards.

“A portion of the gift has been used to directly assist the college.  The remaining funds will be used by the college for academic enhancement, with emphasis on hiring and retaining master teachers of stature, and for continued support of the Max Pickerill Lecture Series.”

Olson stated that the funds received by the community foundation have been set up in an endowed fund, per Patricia’s request, called the Patricia A. Embree Trust Fund.  This field of interest fund will provide charitable, educational, literary and/or cultural entities and programs located in Thomas County.  Such entities and programs will include, but not be limited to, the Prairie Museum of Art & History, Pioneer Memorial Library, Senior Progress Center, senior citizens services such as RSVP and Meals on Wheels, Food Bank of Thomas County, art & painting workshops and shows, history and Kansas humanities programs, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, music workshops, programs, festivals and shows.

“We are honored to administer this fund that will help so many programs and people in Thomas County.  We are very thankful to Patricia for being so forward thinking in her philanthropic vision to impact the community she lived in, now and forever,” Olson said.

Colby Community College is accepting sealed bids for two horses.  Horse #1 (CCC Chex Mix-- Renier) is an 11-year-old registered Quarter Horse sorrel mare.  She is broke to ride and is most appropriate for an experienced rider.  CCC has utilized her in the horsemanship classes and she is most content when she has a daily job to do.  Horse #2 (Twistin Star Deck—Twistin) is a 16-year-old registered Quarter Horse bay mare.  She has lived her life at CCC as a broodmare, but is no longer reproductively sound.  She is easy to handle and would be most appropriate as a pet or companion horse.  For more information about either of these horses, contact Equine Program Director Shanda Mattix at (785) 460-5464 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .  Bids must be submitted in a sealed envelope to:  Horse Bids, Attention:  Shanda Mattix, Colby Community College, 1255 South Range, Colby, KS 67701.  Bids will be opened at 12 noon on Monday, Feb. 13.  Bidders may bid on one or both horses.  The College reserves the right to accept or reject any and/or all bids.  More information available at:  Sealed Bids for CCC Horses

The Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference (KJCCC) recently recognized student athletes who were named to the All Academic Team for fall 2011.

To be selected for the team, student athletes must have a Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.5 or higher for the fall 2011 semester. Team members and their hometowns follow:

Kristina Hahn (Germany) - Volleyball

Elzbieta Klein (Poland) - Volleyball

Kimberly Lindner (Antigo, Wis.) 4.0 GPA - Volleyball

Bailey Pfortmiller (Natoma) - Volleyball

Jonathan Burgess (Australia) 4.0 GPA - Men’s Cross Country

James Leonard (Crosby, Tex.) - Men’s Cross Country

Raymond Velazquez (San Antonio, Tex.) 4.0 GPA - Men’s Cross Country

Vanessa Loya (El Paso, Tex.) - Women’s Cross Country

Afton Macias (Omaha, Neb.) - Women’s Cross Country

Prisca Roys-Dossou (France) - Women’s Cross Country

Emily Sheets (Oakley) - Women’s Cross Country

Alyssa Wagenhals (Paradise Valley, Ariz.) 4.0 GPA - Women’s Cross Country

Colby Community College has announced the selection of Dr. Beth Fenton to be an instructor in the recently-approved distance learning veterinary technology program. Dr. Fenton, a licensed Kansas veterinarian, received her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from Kansas State University in 1989. She is also licensed in North Carolina and South Carolina.

Dr. Fenton was a registered nurse prior to becoming a veterinarian. She graduated from Washburn University in Topeka with her bachelor’s degree in nursing.

Prior to a accepting the job at CCC, she was an associate veterinarian at the Spay-Neuter Assistance Program in New Hill, N.C.

Wendi Ehlers has been selected as the administrative assistant for the distance learning program. She has over 20 years of general office experience including four years in higher education. Ehlers was a Loan Support Representative at First National Bank in Goodland from 2009-11. Prior to accepting that position, she was a distance education assistant at Western Wyoming Community College in Rock Springs, Wyo.

The distance learning veterinary technology program will begin offering online classes in March 2012. Students in the program will complete traditional classroom course work online and will gain hands-on experience with animals such as dogs, cats, horses, cattle, rabbits, rodents and birds in veterinary hospitals.

The Veterinary Technology Program at CCC is one of the first established in the nation. It began in 1969 and was fully accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) in 1974. The program has maintained full accreditation since that time. It is the only program in Kansas fully accredited by the AVMA. Students enrolled in the program are exposed to many advanced skills including digital radiology. The on-campus program was the first in the nation to train veterinary technician students on in-house adipose stem cell therapy.