An auction item purchased at The Arc of Katy’s 2026 gala – a beautiful and unique hand-crafted bench made by the organization’s participants -- will be put to use in Katy’s downtown square for local residents to use and enjoy, thanks to the generosity of two auction winners.

“Each year, our participants create something special that is auctioned off at our annual gala,” said Sandy August, executive director for The Arc of Katy. “The inspiration for this bench came from a recent field trip to VFW Park, where we did a scavenger hunt and one of the items on the list was a bee. Bees come in all shapes and sizes, live together in community, and each one plays a different but equally important role — just like the individuals we serve at The Arc of Katy.”

One of the nonprofit’s crafty staff members, Chrissy Clark, led the project. The Arc of Katy purchased the bench and then a dedicated volunteer who is also an Arc of Katy participant dad, Walt Palen, put it together. The hand-crafted bench, made of wood and metal and then hand painted, was one of two benches created by participants at The Arc of Katy for the nonprofit’s fundraising auction this year.

”We have about 140 participants total, and while some love crafts and others don't, we never force anyone to participate — we always ask for volunteers,” August said. We had a wonderful turnout of volunteers who each played a different role.” Each bench took approximately four weeks to complete.

The first bench sold for $1,600 at the gala auction and the second bench was purchased for an undisclosed sum by Tyler Kay and Kaci Maris, August said.

Kay is the artist who created the Katy-themed murals on the square while Maris is the City of Katy Tourism & Marketing Event Coordinator, who is responsible for the Katy Exchange and other events hosted by the city on the square. The pair has placed the work of art on loan with the city, for use in the downtown square.

“We are incredibly grateful to Kaci Maris, Tourism & Marketing Event Coordinator, and local artist Tyler Kay for purchasing this bench at our gala and donating it to the City of Katy,” August said. “We are deeply honored that this bench will be displayed downtown for residents to enjoy. We hope that as people sit on it and admire it, it will help raise awareness of the meaningful work we do every day for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) right here in our community.”

“Our partnership with the City of Katy has been incredibly important to The Arc of Katy,” August said. “The City has consistently been a strong supporter of our mission. We are grateful for their encouragement and commitment to inclusion, and we are excited that this bench will become a place for residents and visitors to gather and enjoy for years to come.”