The Dog Wall

You can immortalize your best friend (assuming he/she is canine) and support both war veterans and dog rescues at Solstice Tavern's Dog Wall in NoDa.

Restaurant owner John Meyer and manager Sam Fennimore came up with the idea: A mural on the back patio to raise money for Hounds for Heroes, a group that matches shelter dogs with returning war veterans. Meyer, Fennimore and other Solstice employees have rescued dogs, says Fennimore, which made the choice a natural. Artist Cher Cosper is painting the mural, with 47 stars: You pony up $50 and she'll paint a caricature of your dog in one of them. If you want to help even more (or feel your precious really needs more exposure), the middle of the mural will be Cosper's version of the classic genre of dogs playing poker: That will have seven spots, and an auction for them is planned, sometime in early October.

Eleven stars have already been sold. Find out more at the Facebook page Solstice Tavern Dog Wall, or call the restaurant at 704-342-2556 and ask for Fennimore.