It's a real family affair at Jersey's Sports Bar in Federal Way. Last Saturday, July 9, owners Donna and Neal Nilson and Neal's brother Barry Nilson hosted the Red, White and Blue Bike Rally for Fisher House at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

"We're all about family here, we're a military family ourselves and my brother (Neal) is one of the most generous people I know" says Barry Nilson, referring to Neal playing Santa for annual charity events and other fundraising efforts. "These events are very dear of our hearts. We're patriots. We don't care who's in charge; we support the troops" Nilson continued as he explained that Jersey's was a stop on a prior 2011 motorcycle run. "We want this one to be an annual event here and Fisher House to be our main charity."

According to event promoter Joe Black of Blackstar Productions, the all-day benefit raised roughly $3,000. "Not bad for 65 bikes" Black reported in an email Monday. He and Phil "Dragon" Sollitt (co-sponsor veterans' motorcycle club Veterans Allegiance president) acted as emcees for the event and kept things lively with humorous banter.

Renegade Calendar Girls Erica Cecil and Heather Hostility sold raffle tickets and helped draw for winners along with Jersey's bar manager Autumn Gunter, and Carol Whipple from the Veterans of Foreign Wars Ladies Auxiliary. The crowd whooped it up and clapped hard. A one-of-a-kind mini chopper motorcycle was just one of more than 30 prizes raffled off throughout the day. A rider with the Iron Indians motorcycle club won the 50-50 pot and donated winnings back to Fisher House. "Everyone's very veteran oriented. It's been a pleasure to be involved with these folks" said Dick Whipple, Washington State Quartermaster for the Veterans of Foreign Wars.

Michael McGhee, regular patron of Jersey's, stopped by the event mid-afternoon to see the Seattle Mist girls and support the event. "This is a real good thing they're doing" McGhee told me just as a tablemate won a raffle prize. Knee Deep Band played rock covers between raffle drawings. Jersey's offered a special menu of barbeque ribs, home-style potato salad and corn bread to keep riders' energy up. By the look of all the ‘clean' plates, the food was a hit.

Smiles were plentiful and just as generous as event attendees in buying in on the raffle and participating in a silent auction. "Most of us are military or come from military families; we know how important Fisher House is," Joe Black told me as the event was winding down. "We're happy to donate our time. We need to be able to help."

Fisher House assists active duty and retired veterans with housing, food, medical bills and more.