OUR BEGINNINGS: With aid of the Crime Prevention Unit of the Hickory Police Department, the 21 Vendue Community Watch was formed on 2/9/11 when the mission statement and organzation chart was approved. The watch meets the second Wednesday of each month and has, so far, enabled the installation of No Trespassing/Private Property signage, Community Watch signage, door viewer (peep holes) where requested and improved outside security lighting. All residents, whether attending a meeting or not, are provided a meeting summary with training information and kept advised of Community Watch issues. OUR CITY: Hickory, NC is located about 50 miles north-northwest of Charlotte and a one hour drive from Charlotte-International Airport. The city run Hickory Regional Airport offers private, corporate and charter air service but is not presently served by any commercial airlines. Hickory is a small city that has been able to retain a small town feel and has been designated an "All-America City" three times and a Tree City USA. There is public bus service offered by Greenway Public Transportation under the auspices of the Western Piedmont Regional Transit Authority. Along with excellent city services, you will find great shopping and an abundance of restaurants. Hickory is known to some as the "Furniture Capitol of the World." People from all over the United States come to shop at the Hickory Furniture Mart where over 100 stores and more than 1000 manufacturers are represented. Hickory is home to the Lenoir-Rhyne University, the Catawba Valley Community College and also has a branch campus of the Appalachian State University. There are two hospitals, the Catawba Valley Medical Center, the Frye Regional Medical Center plus a new (2010) and expansive Veterans Affairs clinic. Be sure to visit the "External Links" on this website for more information on the Hickory and Catawba county areas.
