Are you a local fan group, cosplay club, theater/symphony, dance troupe, or community institution? Then the FAN EXPO Community Zone is the place for you! Participants in this space must support the local community in some way and be committed to making FAN EXPO a fantastic experience for attendees, guests, and fellow Community Zone participants.

Space is limited, so please be as detailed in your application as possible. Applications for the Irving Convention Center event are available here:

Things to know before you apply:

• Applications are open
• Applying does not guarantee space until confirmation is issued.
• Booths must be appropriate for fans of all ages. Any booth activities are subject to management approval.
• Participants must be available for load-in, all three days of the convention (from open to close), and load-out.
• A standard booth is 10x10. Additional space or nonstandard booth requests are subject to management approval and are not guaranteed, even if the Group/Organization is accepted.
• Power may be requested but is not guaranteed in community spaces.
• Space is limited. Applicants who engage with other programmatic features or offer unique engagement opportunities are prioritized. Community members are encouraged to host a panel(s).

Dallas FAN FESTIVAL is this Fall’s premier pop culture celebration, offering the ultimate playground for fans of comics, sci-fi, horror, anime, and gaming. This year’s festival highlights nostalgia-driven celebrity guests and experiences that let fans revisit the stories, shows, and characters they grew up with while introducing new generations to timeless favorites. With family-friendly programming, cosplay contests, and budget-conscious ticket options, the event is designed to bring together fans of all ages for an immersive and affordable weekend of fun. Whether you’re reconnecting with your childhood heroes or making new memories with loved ones, Dallas FAN FESTIVAL celebrates the vibrant pop culture community thriving in North Texas and beyond. You’ll feel out of this world—and right at home.

Tickets ON SALE NOW:

Weekend Passes: $39 ADVANCE (Regular $49)

Adult Single Day Passes (13+): Saturday $25 ADVANCE and Sunday $20 ADVANCE

Child Passes (6-12): $10

Family Passes: Saturday $60 ADVANCE and Sunday $50 ADVANCE

DETAILS: Dallas FAN FESTIVAL runs Saturday, October 4, and Sunday, October 5, 2025

Saturday, October 4, from 10:00 A.M. to 7:00 P.M.

Sunday, October 5, from 10:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M.

The Irving Convention Center is located at 500 W Las Colinas Blvd., Irving, TX 75039

ABOUT FAN EXPO HQ:

With over a million fans and counting, FAN EXPO HQ attracts pop culture enthusiasts, locally and internationally, to come together to celebrate all things fandom. Collectively, it hosts nearly one million fans annually at FAN EXPO Dallas™, MEGACON Orlando, FAN EXPO Canada™, FAN EXPO Boston™, FAN EXPO Denver, FAN EXPO San Francisco, CALGARY EXPO, FAN EXPO Chicago, FAN EXPO Philadelphia, FAN EXPO Portland, FAN EXPO New Orleans, FAN EXPO Cleveland, FAN EXPO Vancouver™, Toronto Comicon, Dallas FAN FESTIVAL, VidCon and EDMONTON EXPO.  The latest schedule of events is available here on their website, along with up-to-date ticket information.

The Coppell cross-country teams had the opportunity to race at the Coach T. Marcus Invitational this weekend at North Lakes Park in Denton, the same course where District will be held in October. Running the course early provides valuable experience, but storms forced the cancellation of the JV boys’ and JV girls’ races, sidelining about 40 Coppell runners. That left the Varsity squads to lead the way against more than 100 schools, many among the state’s toughest programs.

Despite the challenging conditions of heat and mud, Coppell’s Varsity athletes, including Maya Easterwood and Diego Morales, delivered standout performances.

Coach’s Highlights on the Cowgirls

In the Elite Varsity Girls’ race, Coppell finished 13th out of 31 teams. Senior Maya Easterwood dominated from start to finish, winning the race while setting the pace alone at the front. Freshmen Finleigh Sanders-Burk and Rachel Stumm followed as Coppell’s 2nd and 3rd finishers, both posting mid-19-minute times that exceeded expectations. Anusha Patki and Bishakha Sinha rounded out the top five with strong efforts in their first high school 5K races. Four of Coppell’s top five finishers were freshmen, a promising sign for the future.

In the Varsity Girls’ Open division, Coppell placed 29th out of 36 teams. Charlotte Baade led the way for the Cowgirls, with Hannah Stumm and Vanini Agarwal following close behind.

Coach’s Highlights on the Cowboys

The Elite Varsity Boys finished 16th out of 43 teams. Senior Diego Morales and sophomore Sam Meier paced Coppell with strong races, while Rohit Kalpathy, Sidharth Kerthipati, and freshman Tyler Kim rounded out the top five. For Kim, it was an impressive debut at the 5K distance.

The Varsity Boys’ Open team earned Coppell’s top finish of the day, placing 9th out of 45 squads in a race of 384 runners. Seven Coppell athletes placed in the top 102, led by Itsuki Pena, Vihaan Sahni, Srivanth Rudrangi, Marco Noyola, and Lukas Stumm. Pena and Sahni also ran the 6th and 7th fastest times of all Coppell athletes on the day.

Coach’s Perspective

Coach Wren summed up the weekend:

“Overall, I’m extremely encouraged by what I saw from the athletes that were able to run on Saturday. We have a lot of talented runners that either ran their first 5K ever or their first one in a while. I look forward to continuing to build in practice this week leading up to the Southlake Carroll Invitational next weekend.”

Looking Ahead

Next up, Coppell will compete on September 6 at the Southlake 5K Cross Country Invitational. The meet will provide another early-season test for both the Cowboys and Cowgirls as they continue to build experience at the 5K distance. The program will aim to carry its momentum forward and keep improving with each race.

Until next time, Coppell Cross Country will keep pushing forward!

Contact Information

For more details or to support Coppell High School’s Cross Country program, please contact:
Patricia Chi
Email: chi.patricia@gmail.com
Cell: (469) 831-3709

45,000 POUNDS OF FOOD DELIVERED TO CARROLLTON AND FRISCO PANTRIES

CARROLLTON, Texas — More than 45,000 pounds of shelf-stable food and household essentials were delivered by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to two North Texas food pantries, helping to address the growing hunger needs across the region.

The truck’s contents—including peanut butter, pancake mix, rice, pasta, spaghetti sauce, applesauce, diced tomatoes, non-fat dry milk, and hot cocoa—were split between Metrocrest Services in Carrollton and Frisco Family Services in Frisco, with each organization receiving about 700 cases of food and supplies to distribute to families in need.

Support for Families in Carrollton

“More than 22,000 pounds of high-quality nutritious food went straight onto our pantry shelves, meeting a critical need for the families we serve. With demand at an all-time high, our pantry now serves more than 1,400–1,500 families every week,” said Casen McMahan, Director of Nutrition Programs at Metrocrest Services.

“When neighbors come to the pantry, they’re met with healthy food offered with dignity and respect, and from there we connect them to programs like financial coaching, workforce development, and senior services that strengthen families and build long-term stability,” McMahan added.

“With the demand we’re seeing right now, this support helped us not just keep food on the table for our neighbors, but also give them a path forward. We’re grateful to have partners who care about both the urgent needs of today and the long-term health of our community,” McMahan said.

Meeting Needs in Frisco

“Today’s food donation from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints came at pivotal timing, when summer demand left our shelves running low,” said Clairissa Burton, Director of Client Services at Frisco Family Services.

“This food donation also allowed us to offer relief to families as they prepare for the holiday months,” Burton added.

“Many think there’s no hunger in Frisco, and we see a need every day. Without our faith-based programs, we couldn’t do some of our client programs to help those struggling in Frisco.”

Burton noted that the hardest-hit clients often face short-term unemployment of three to six months and have depleted their savings or retirement. “Helping them with food gives them hope,” she said.

“This donation from the Church allowed us to refill shelves and fill the gaps so that a client could get a full shopping list. They didn’t have to get spaghetti without the sauce,” said Desiree Thomas, Market Manager at Frisco Family Services.

“My daily prayer is to ask God not to let our shelves go bare, and God continually answers,” Thomas said.

Frisco Family Services received the donation at a critical moment, as their shelves were depleted after the summer months. Over the past year, they provided more than 724,000 meals to neighbors in crisis.

Why It Matters: Growing Hunger in North Texas

Hunger in the DFW metro area is on the rise. In 2025, about 1.3 million people across the region were food insecure — a 12% increase over the previous year. The Dallas–Fort Worth area now ranks third in the nation for populations experiencing food insecurity, behind only New York City and Los Angeles.

A Shared Mission of Service

“Frisco Family Services has been a blessing to the community for many years. It has been our privilege to partner with them to provide support at different times and in different ways,” said Kris Katseanas, President of the Frisco Stake of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

“An anchor element of our faith in Jesus Christ is to follow His invitation to love and serve everyone. We are grateful for all they do and for their example of charity and virtue,” Katseanas added.

How to Help

Community members can support the ongoing needs of both food banks—especially as the holiday season approaches—by visiting their websites or volunteering through JustServe.org.

About Metrocrest Services

Metrocrest Services provides hope and stability to individuals, families, and seniors in Carrollton, Coppell, Farmers Branch, Addison, and parts of Dallas in Denton County. Programs include a client-choice food pantry, housing stability assistance, workforce development, financial education, senior services, and seasonal programs. In 2024, Metrocrest distributed more than 5 million pounds of food and served an average of 1,500 families each week. For more information, visit www.metrocrestservices.org

About Frisco Family Services

Frisco Family Services has served neighbors in crisis for over 30 years by providing food, housing and utility assistance, adult life skills education, and other essential services. The organization operates Frisco’s only community food pantry, which provided more than 724,000 meals in 2024. Seasonal programs, including summer hunger relief, Thanksgiving meal boxes, and holiday support, bring additional help to families in need. Learn more at www.friscofamilyservices.org

Bringing Hope to Dallas Youth

Rainbow Days marked a triumphant milestone at its 28th Annual Pot of Gold Luncheon, where more than 450 guests gathered at the Westin Galleria Dallas to support children and youth facing adversity. The luncheon exceeded expectations, raising over $272,000 to fund essential programs and services, thanks to generous supporters and community partners in the Dallas area and beyond.

The afternoon began with the highly anticipated annual performance by Rainbow Days program participants, where they sang and danced to Reach by S Club 7. Their animated performance captured the hearts of attendees and highlighted the organization’s mission to uplift and empower young lives. The performance set the stage for a celebration of resilience, hope, and community support.

The luncheon was highlighted by a powerful keynote address from actor and author Victor Rivas Rivers, whose riveting personal story underscored the urgent need for collective action. His words were a profound call to build strong, compassionate support systems for the most vulnerable among us—the children and youth who are facing hardship, trauma, and adversity.

Victor is a veteran star of more than two dozen films, most known for The Distinguished Gentleman, Mask of Zorro, The Hulk and more. Born in Santi Spiritus, Cuba, Victor immigrated to the United Sates at the age of two. After growing up in an abusive household where he endured years of punishing beatings and torture at the hands of his father, he took legal action against him at age 15 and entered the foster care system. With the help of his community, he turned his life around from hard gang member to earning a senior class football scholarship. Upon graduation he was drafted to play for the Miami Dolphins and then pursued acting.

Victor's impactful story of overcoming adversity with the help of his community emphasized the idea that it really does take a village of people coming together to raise even just one child. Rivers’ journey from childhood adversity to personal triumph left a deep, almost palpable impression on the audience, stressing the importance of caring individuals and support systems in changing the course of a young person’s life.

Tiffany Beaudine, CEO of Rainbow Days, spoke at the 2025 Pot of Gold Luncheon, sharing powerful insights about the organization’s mission and the urgent challenges facing children in our community.

She energized the crowd with inspiring updates on Rainbow Days’ recent achievements, including the introduction of new initiatives such as the Classroom Connection Curriculum, the Strengthening Families Program, and the Youth Substance Use Prevention Community Coalition. Tiffany also shared a touching story about three sisters who have been supported by Rainbow Days over the past eight years. Their individual journeys of success touched the heart of each audience member and highlighted the profound and lasting impact of the organization’s programs.

The 2025 Pot of Gold Luncheon was made complete with a heartfelt invocation by Father Michael Forge from Prince of Peace Catholic Church.

This year’s event was made possible through the hard work, time and resources of the 2025 Pot of Gold Luncheon Committee members. Event leadership included Luncheon Chairs Mathew and Tiffany MacLeod and Silent Auction Co-Chairs Leticia Espinoza and Jill Sabeh.

Rainbow Days would also like to recognize the many sponsors, donors and volunteers who helped make the 2025 Pot of Gold Luncheon a success. Featured here are sponsor levels “Silver” and above:

• Title: Nancy Ann & Ray L. Hunt
• Platinum Sponsors: Miramar Equity Partners and Darla and Mark Whitaker
• Gold Sponsors: Citi, B-Still Ministries, Fortium Partners, Francisco Ramos & Irma Hinojosa, Jill & Dale Hurd, Lacy & David Lange, Thompson Coburn LLP and Vaquero Private Wealth.
• Silver Sponsors: Tiffany & Terry Beaudine, Jennifer & Jody Bishop, Bragalone Olejko Saad PC, The Live Like Knox Foundation, Mary Jo & James McKellar, National Life Group, Sky Island Capital, Telisa Schelin & Rebecca Massiatte, Tiffany & Matthew MacLeod, and Vaquero Private Wealth.
• Media Sponsor: Good Life Family Magazine

The Pot of Gold Luncheon spotlighted the real challenges facing children and youth in the Dallas area while celebrating the strength and impact of a community united in purpose. Rainbow Days invites the public to learn more about its impact through its 2025 Impact video available on its website, www.RainbowDays.org .

ABOUT RAINBOW DAYS: Rainbow Days is a Dallas-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Founded in 1982, Rainbow Days has a mission to help children and youth in adversity build coping skills and resilience to create positive futures. Through support groups, substance abuse prevention programs, supportive services and tangible items, Rainbow Days makes a positive impact in the lives of meaningful connections with more than 20,000 at-risk children and youth in the Dallas area annually. Rainbow Days expands its impact through international training services, which trains other nonprofit staff, teachers and counselors in its award-winning CBSG® Program.  Visit the website at www.rainbowdays.org

Photos by Thomas Garza and Rob Wythe/Wythe Portrait Studio

Shockwave Therapy in Veterinary Medicine: Helping Pets and Horses Heal

Introduction

When our animals are hurt or in pain, we often look for the fastest and safest way to get them back to comfort. One treatment that has become increasingly popular in veterinary medicine is shockwave therapy. Although the name may sound a bit intimidating, this treatment is safe, non-invasive, and can be highly effective for many orthopedic and soft tissue problems. It has been widely used in human medicine for years — especially in sports medicine — and is now making a big difference for dogs, cats, and horses.

What Is Shockwave Therapy?

Shockwave therapy uses high-energy sound waves (not electrical shocks) to stimulate healing inside the body. A special machine sends these waves into the injured tissue. As the waves pass through, they trigger biological changes that:

• Increase blood flow

• Reduce inflammation and pain

• Encourage the body to repair bone, tendon, ligament, or joint tissue

• Help break up scar tissue and stimulate new cell growth

In simple terms, shockwave “wakes up” the body’s natural healing systems and speeds up recovery.

Conditions It Can Help With

In Horses

Shockwave is especially popular in equine sports medicine. It can be used for:

• Tendon and ligament injuries (suspensory desmitis, bowed tendons)

• Joint arthritis

• Back and sacroiliac pain

• Navicular disease

• Kissing spine

• Delayed healing of bone injuries or stress fractures

Because it can reach deep tissues without surgery, it’s often used to get performance horses back into training and competition more safely.

In Dogs (and Cats)

Small animals can also benefit, particularly for:

• Hip and elbow arthritis

• Knee injuries (CCL tears, post-surgery recovery)

• Chronic back pain

• Slow-healing fractures or bone injuries

• Wounds and skin ulcers (in some cases)

In older dogs with arthritis, shockwave may help reduce stiffness, improve mobility, and cut down on the need for high doses of pain medication.

What Does a Treatment Look Like?

• Non-invasive: No cutting or surgery is involved.

• Sedation: Most animals are lightly sedated to keep them calm and comfortable, since the sound waves can be startling.

• Application: A hand-held probe is placed against the skin over the injured area. Treatments usually take 10–20 minutes.

• Schedule: Often given every 2–3 weeks, for a total of 2–4 sessions depending on the condition.

Benefits of Shockwave Therapy

✔ Drug-free pain relief – helpful for animals that cannot tolerate certain medications.
✔ Faster healing – especially for stubborn tendon or ligament injuries.
✔ Non-invasive – no surgery or long recovery times.
✔ Improved mobility – many owners notice their pets moving more freely within days to weeks.
✔ Versatile – can be used for bones, joints, tendons, ligaments, and even certain wounds.

Is It Safe?

When performed by a trained veterinarian, shockwave therapy is considered very safe. The main risks are mild soreness at the treatment site or temporary swelling. Because sedation is often used, your vet will make sure your pet or horse is healthy enough for that beforehand.

Importantly, shockwave is not allowed in some equine competitions within a certain time frame before showing, since it can temporarily reduce pain. Your veterinarian will know the specific rules for your discipline.

Limitations to Keep in Mind

• Not a “magic bullet” — best results come when it’s part of a complete treatment plan (rest, controlled exercise, rehab, medications when needed).

• Some conditions need multiple sessions before real improvement is seen.

• Works better on certain tissues (tendons, ligaments, bone) than on others.

• Cost may be higher than traditional treatments, though often less than surgery.

Conclusion

Shockwave therapy is one of the most promising tools in veterinary medicine today for managing pain and speeding healing. For horses with sports injuries or dogs with arthritis and joint pain, it offers a safe, effective, and non-invasive option.

If your pet or horse is struggling with chronic pain or a slow-healing injury, ask your veterinarian whether shockwave therapy could be the right choice. It may just be the spark their body needs to start healing again.