Vicki Fitch loves living in Bowling Green.

The Nashville native is the executive director of the Bowling Green Area Convention and Visitors Bureau.

She said as the tourism season fades, the organization is trying to shift focus to the community.

“We are a tourism business; we’re also a community business,” Fitch said. “I love this place and people should know it’s a special place.”

The Bowling Green CVB recently launched a new campaign intended to build city morale and intrigue visitors, she said.

Specially designed “I Love BG” buttons are being distributed to local businesses and organizations, upon request, with the sole intention of generating a respect for and positive attitude toward the city, Fitch said.

“There seems to be a lot of negativity going on in the world,” she said. “We wanted to put something out to create a buzz a make people ask, ‘What makes this place so special?'”

Fitch said the buttons are available to the public, free of charge, and can be picked up at the CVB offices at 352 Three Springs Road.

“We want the buttons in hands of people who want to wear them,” she said.

Owensboro senior Jonathon Dunaway said he thinks the buttons are a good way to get citizens to appreciate their community.

“It’s a good way of community patriotism,” he said. “And they’ve got a feel-good look, with the green heart.”

Fitch said the idea came from a quick sketch done by Leon Volkert, a member of the CVB’s board of directors and a WKU graduate.

“It was really a team effort; we hope they serve as a reminder of how terrific and unique Bowling Green is,” Volkert said. “Who knows, maybe even other cities will pick up the idea.”