Felling Trailers, Inc. will hold its 14th annual Trailer for a Cause online auction Sept. 24th–30th, 2026, with proceeds benefiting Henry’s Heroes, a Central Minnesota-based nonprofit that supports families navigating the emotional and financial challenges of a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) journey. This year’s auction features the company’s largest capacity Trailer for a Cause to date: a custom FT-12 Pan drop deck trailer. Felling Trailers’ goal is to raise awareness of the valuable work Henry’s Heroes does for the families and community members it serves throughout Central Minnesota and beyond. 

Quick Facts 

• Auction dates: Thursday, Sept. 24th at noon – Wednesday, Sept. 30th at 7 p.m. (NICA Day) 

• Beneficiary: Henry’s Heroes, a Central Minnesota NICU-family support nonprofit 

• Trailer: Custom FT-12 Pan drop deck, 22’ deck length, 11,100 lb. payload capacity, Felling’s largest capacity Trailer for a Cause to date 

• Where to bid: Online only, at felling.com/our-company/trailer-for-a-cause 

A seven-day online auction, starting on Sept. 24th and ending on Sept. 30th, Neonatal Intensive Care Awareness (NICA) Day. This year, the auction features a larger trailer, an FT-12 Pan with an overall deck length of 22’ and a payload capacity of 11,100 lbs. The Pan trailer has been painted charcoal metallic gray with a custom “Henry’s Heroes” purple stripe and white pinstriping on the sides, and it bears the Henry’s Heroes emblem. “Over the past several years, we kept hearing the same request from auction participants: they wanted to see a bigger, more versatile trailer up for bid. This year, we listened. We moved up from our FT-3, with its 1,800 lb. capacity, to the FT-12 Pan, which offers an impressive 11,100 lb. capacity. It’s our hope that this change will generate even more excitement and participation and ultimately result in a higher winning bid for Henry’s Heroes,” stated Pat Jennissen, Felling Trailers VP of Sales & Marketing. A collection of suppliers have joined Felling Trailers in sponsoring the 2026 trailer construction: PPG, Peterson Mfg., Ram, Dexter, Demco, Taskmaster, Fastenal, and Ratner Steel. Their contributions cover everything from lighting systems to tires to the steel the trailer is constructed from. The complete winning bid will go directly to Henry’s Heroes so they can continue to help more families going through the NICU journey and the struggles that come with it.  

The Trailer for a Cause build was completed in early June, just in time for Henry’s Heroes’ 4th Annual Walk, where it was on display with information about the upcoming auction. The Henry’s Heroes’ Walk brought together over 750 participants, volunteers, and NICU families, who all joined together to support families experiencing a NICU stay. For organizers, one of the most meaningful parts of the day is seeing the recipient families connect with one another, share their stories, and realize they are not alone in the journey. Beyond financial assistance, the Henry’s Heroes team provides care packages, quilts, gift cards, and meals for NICU families and staff throughout the year. With the support of the community, Henry’s Heroes has provided assistance to 78 NICU families since 2023. “Henry’s Heroes was founded after Henry’s 87-day NICU journey, and every year we are reminded of the incredible power of community. What began as a way to give back has grown into a network of support for families facing one of life’s most unexpected challenges. Every donation, volunteer, sponsor, and participant helps ensure that no NICU family feels alone. This year we raised over $74,000, and we are so excited to see what the future holds for this nonprofit,” stated the Henry’s Heroes board. 

The Trailer for a Cause auction launches Thursday, September 24th, at noon and concludes Wednesday, September 30th, at 7 p.m. on Neonatal Intensive Care Awareness (NICA) Day. Bidding takes place exclusively online; view the auction at www.felling.com/our-company/trailer-for-a-cause/. 

Winners must arrange pickup at Felling Trailers’ manufacturing facility in Sauk Centre or coordinate delivery (freight charges additional).