North Myrtle Beach Times Serving our Community and the Grand Strand for over 50 years
On Friday, July 25, the 2025 Inspiration Award was presented to Polly Lowman by Kathy Heagen, President of the North Myrtle Beach Woman’s Club, and Sue Burgess, Parliamentarian.
On Friday, July 25, members of the North Myrtle Beach Woman’s Club presented the 2025 Inspiration Award to Polly Lowman at the North Myrtle Beach Times Newspaper office.
A presentation speech was written to commemorate what Lowman has accomplished throughout her 89 years in Little River and North Myrtle Beach.
Kathy Heagen, club president, read the following before presenting the award.
“It is my great honor to present our third annual Inspiration Award – an award that celebrates determination, vision and the power of one woman to uplift an entire community. And this year, there is no one more deserving than the woman we lovingly call Miss Polly – Polly Lowman.
If you’re new to North Myrtle Beach and haven’t yet had the pleasure of meeting Miss Polly, I have just one piece of advice for you – find her. You’ll most likely spot her at the North Myrtle Beach Times where she’s still hard at work nearly every day. And if you take a moment to speak with her, I promise, you’ll leave that conversation not only wiser about our community’s past but also more inspired about its future.
Miss Polly has been the heartbeat of North Myrtle Beach for decades. She founded the North Myrtle Beach Times on February 24, 1971 – becoming its only publisher and fierce guiding force ever since. She went on to launch the Loris Times on August 7, 1991, and through both publications, she has created a lasting legacy that has informed and inspired generations of readers.
Her remarkable history with the North Myrtle Beach Times began when Miss Polly was a newly divorced mother with two young sons, Michael and Robby, to raise and support. She didn’t come from a journalism background, nor did she have experience or knowledge of publishing a newspaper. But what she did have was determination, courage and a great love of her family and community. She taught herself the business, hired the right people, leaned on good friends and never stopped moving forward.
At 89 years young, she still works from sun-up to sundown, keeping us informed and connected. And, if you’re not a subscriber to The Times, let me say ‘You’re missing out’. It’s a lifeline to the very heart of this community.
Miss Polly’s list of achievements is as long as it is impressive. Under her leadership, the North Myrtle Beach Times has received over 200 awards – a staggering accomplishment by any standard.
Her most cherished accomplishment is being the first woman president of the South Carolina Press Association in its then 116-year history. She’s the recipient of the Legacy Award from the Horry County Preservation Association for 50 years in business and she was the first Collegiate Press Association honorary member in the state. She was also awarded the Palmetto Patriot State Award from Governor Mark Sanford, and she was honored with prestigious awards from the South Carolina Senate presented to her by the late Senator Dick Elliott. She has been recognized in the Congressional Record and invited to the White House by multiple Presidents.
Miss Polly also played a vital role in opening Sea Haven. She’s a founding member of the North Myrtle Beach Woman’s Club, a lifetime member of the Living Legends Association, a Kentucky Colonel since 1991, a lifetime member of the Garden Club of South Carolina and the National Council of State Garden Clubs. She’s also a founding member of the Driftwood Garden Club, and she’s received countless awards from our local chambers.
One of Miss Polly’s most meaningful hobbies has been serving as a secret Santa to countless children over the past 44 years. Each year she lovingly purchases between 400 and 700 toys, carefully wraps them and stores them, and then joyfully distributes them to families in need during the Christmas season.
But with all these accolades, and what I read was a partial list, perhaps the greatest honor we can give Miss Polly is our heartfelt thanks.
Thank you, Miss Polly for inspiring generations of women and men to dream big, work hard, and never let fear stop them from building something extraordinary.
You are not only an icon of North Myrtle Beach – you are a living example of what it means to lead with courage, kindness and an unwavering belief in community.
And so, with great pride and endless admiration, I present the 2025 Inspiration Award to Miss Polly Lowman. Thank you for everything you’ve done and everything you continue to do.”
