Release from CCC: Pat’s Pantry Open for Students

-- FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE --

Contact: Doug Johnson

Public Relations Director

doug.johnson@colbycc.edu

(785) 460-5411

Pat’s Pantry Open for Students

COLBY, Kan. (June 17, 2025) — Colby Community College held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on June 13 to celebrate the opening of the Pat Keiser Food Bank, a resource in the Student Union that provides free food and hygiene products to CCC students in need. It is available whenever the campus is open or by appointment.

The pantry honors the legacy of the late Pat Keiser, a beloved member of the Colby community who dedicated her life to helping others. Pat was instrumental in the creation of the Genesis-Thomas County Food Bank, fueled by her conviction that no one in her community should go hungry.

A passionate supporter of local athletics, she volunteered for many seasons with Colby High School basketball before becoming a mainstay in the Colby Community College men's and women's basketball and softball programs, keeping the official scorebook. In recognition of her deep commitment and impact, she was inducted into the Colby Community College Alumni Hall of Fame in 2015. For years before her passing on Oct. 8, 2024, she was affectionately known as “Mama Pat” by student-athletes.

To honor Keiser, family friend Russell Rodenbeck designed two custom stained glass pieces that hang from the ceiling, marking the area as "Pat’s Pantry."

"Pat loved to make sure students were taken care of," said Executive Vice President Nikol Nolan. "And for her, that included food a lot of the time."

Pat's Pantry is sustained through campus and community donations and maintained by CCC staff.