Argus Farm Stop owner and local community volunteer, Kathy Sample, has been selected by the United Way of Washtenaw County (UWWC) Women United group, as the 2023 Woman of the Year. Ms. Sample will be honored at the UWWC’s Power of the Purse event on March 8, 2023. The event will return to an in-person event at the Morris Lawrence Building located on the Washtenaw Community College campus.
“Kathy Sample exemplifies what the Power of the Purse initiative is about: women taking action to address community issues,” said Pam Smith, President of United Way of Washtenaw County, and member of the Power of the Purse committee. “Kathy is a local business owner that innovated a new model to support small local farmers year-round, she has been an active volunteer for United Way and other community nonprofits.”
Ms. Sample was chosen by the Power of the Purse committee for her commitment to the community, and her accomplishments in business innovation, the local food system, and community philanthropy and volunteerism.
“I am proud of the way United Way assesses needs and moves to help the organizations of our community as they change and grow, especially in difficult times,” shared Ms. Sample.
Kathy Sample is invested in growing the access to locally grown and farmed foods to consumers, through Argus Farm Stop. She and her husband Bill, started Argus Farm Stop in 2014 as an experiment to find a new way to buy local food and support local farmers year-round. She has volunteered with Peace Neighborhood Center, a United Way-supported agency, for almost 20 years. She has also worked with various other organizations in the Ann Arbor area. Kathy and Bill live in Ann Arbor and have three grown children. Kathy has worked in the chemical, medical gasses, and automotive industries, primarily in marketing, strategy, and business planning capacities. She is also a graduate of University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business and holds a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Michigan State University.
Women United is a United Way national network of some 70,000 members in 165 U.S. communities, and the most successful women-oriented philanthropic effort of its kind. Locally, since its inception the UWWC Women United has granted over $362,000 through the Power of the Purse event to Washtenaw County human service organizations.
The UWWC established the Woman of the Year honor in 2009. Previous recipients include: Jimena Loveluck, Eileen Spring, Molly Dobson, Dr. Lori Pierce, Cecilia Fileti, Cynthia Wilbanks, Verna McDaniel, Beth Fitzsimmons, Martha Darling, Pat Warner, Denise Rabidoux, and Lucy Ann Lance. The 2023 Event Chair is Megan Mazurek.
About United Way of Washtenaw County
As part of our 100-plus year history, United Way of Washtenaw County brings people, organizations and resources together to create a thriving community for everyone. Our focus areas of Health, Education and Financial Stability provide the building blocks for a strong community and create opportunities for individuals and families. Our virtual Volunteer Center is an easy, online way for people to connect with nonprofits in the community and our 2-1-1 helpline connects more than 8,000 people annually to critically needed services. To learn more, donate, or volunteer visit uwgive.org.
