With apologies to The Pointer Sisters, I’m so excited. Yes, I know: There’s not a lot to be excited about. But we at FCNews are working on a project I’m sure will elicit excitement from every faction of the industry.

Let’s start from the beginning. In 2009 the World Floor Covering Association ( WFCA) through its predecessor organizations will celebrate its 50th anniversary. It was 1959 when a group of visionaries incorporated the Western Floor Covering Association to bring together retailers, contractors and others to work to raise the bar on standards and practices in the industry. About 15 years later, the Retail Floorcovering Institute (RFI) was spun off from the Home Furnishings Council and, in 1988, became American Floorcovering Association (AFA). In January 1995, the Western Association and AFA merged to create the World Floor Covering Association (WFCA), and a new era began.

So here’s the deal. Many months ago I was sitting with Chris Davis, the person who inarguably has done as much asanyone in the last half-century to make this association most meaningful to its constituents. Alongside him was his chief lieutenant, Cammie Weitzel. We were kicking around ideas of how to commemorate this historic event. Cammie was enamored with FCNews’ 20th anniversary edition in 2006, even more so when we told her we could do something similar for the WFCA.

With that, WFCA has endorsed a special edition of FCNews that will not only celebrate its 50-year history but look ahead to what’s on the horizon. This official retrospective will serve as a walk down memory lane but, equally important, convey the value WFCA offers all flooring retailers through its various programs.

If you’re a manufacturer, take note this special issue, which will be mailed to FCNews’ 15,000 subscribers in January, will also have significant distribution at Surfaces. It will give your firm an excellent vehicle to reach the specialty retailer and tell your story through special value-added editorial opportunities. You will soon receive correspondence from WFCA endorsing the project with the hope that you see the value in celebrating its Golden Anniversary by participating as a sponsoring advertiser of this commemorative issue.

If you’re a retailer and would like to take part in this special issue, here’s how: Tell us how WFCA has helped your business. Maybe you have taken part in a WFCA-sponsored training class, or someone you know received WFCA scholarship money. Maybe you have received certification that brought a new level of credibility to your business or membership has saved you thousands of dollars in insurance.

In any case, we’ve been working on this issue for some time, and to say it’s been a blast would be an understatement. When else would you have the chance to talk to icons like 95-year-old Frank Mayfield? OK. Enough. Let me simply say, I hope you’ll join with us in what promises to be a very special publication. And get excited!