Kent Schnakenberg isn’t speechless a lot.
But he was Thursday afternoon when the Emporia Area Chamber of Commerce bestowed its annual Lifetime Achievement Award on him.
Schnakenberg and his wife, Natalie, are in Arizona the next two weeks — so they can’t attend the Chamber’s Annual Meeting on Jan. 24. But Schnakenberg joined KVOE’s Morning Show on Friday to discuss the honor. He says he was told about a possible Match Day photo and article before he learned the true reason behind Thursday’s gathering at the Community Foundation office.
The Schnakenbergs have been helping children and teenagers cope with Type One diabetes for a decade now, starting with Team Schnak Cycling in 2015 and the subsequent expansion to Team Schnak Strong the following year. The expansion was important because the resulting partnership with the Emporia Community Foundation let Team Schnak offer financial assistance to families of Type One diabetes patients.
Since the start, Schnakenberg has driven across the country repeatedly in his “T1 Destroyer” pickups, which are now approaching 500,000 miles of travel over the last decade.
Tickets are still available for the Annual Meeting by calling the Chamber at 620-342-1600.
5:20 am Friday
Kent Schnakenberg’s work to end Type One diabetes has earned him the Emporia Area Chamber of Commerce Lifetime Achievement Award.
Schnakenberg and his wife, Natalie, have been driven — literally — to help people afflicted with Type One diabetes after a family member’s diagnosis in 2015, starting with Team Schnak Cycling in 2015 and the subsequent expansion to Team Schnak Strong the following year. The expansion was important because the resulting partnership with the Emporia Community Foundation let Team Schnak offer financial assistance to families of Type One diabetes patients.
Since the start, Schnakenberg has driven across the country numerous times in his “T1 Destroyer” pickup, attending numerous events in various settings to generate funds for research, equipment and support — including scholarships for young diabetes patients to attend Camp Discovery in Junction City.
Schnakenberg is the third Chamber award recipient ahead of the Annual Meeting on Jan. 24, including Volunteer of the Year Kathryn Wilkerson and Business of the Year Flint Hills Towing. The Chamber has not said when it will announce its Community Impact Award recipient.
