06/12/2026
Kent Schnakenberg was one of a kind.
He was kind, sincere, quick to fill a need wherever he saw one, and possessed one of the biggest hearts imaginable. He was more than a fund holder here at ECF—he was our friend. Our days were always better when he breezed through the door.
Kent cared deeply about this community and about helping children. His mission became his purpose: finding ways to help and ease the burden for children and families living with Type 1 Diabetes. He was passionate in that work, often giving every last ounce of energy traveling wherever he was needed—school assemblies, bike races, community events—to educate and inform others about recognizing the signs of this disease and learning how to live with it. Through Team Schnak Strong, he not only helped children gain access to resources and support, but also helped send kids to camp, where they could learn not just to live with diabetes, but to thrive despite it.
We will miss his laugh. We will miss him stopping by just to talk and catch up. Kent gave generously—his time, his treasure, and perhaps most importantly, his heart.
It is hard to imagine him not walking through our doors to drop off the occasional Navrat's swag or a new Team Schnak T-shirt, more than likely in your favorite color because he remembered things like that. He gave the best hugs, and our days were better because he was in them.
Our prayers are with his family and all those who love him. Today, we are all Team Schnak.
Love you, Kent. We'll be seeing you.
