Whidbey Homeless Coalition Hosts Art Gala to Fund Shelter Upgrades

Decadently decorated dining tables will take center stage at the Whidbey Homeless Coalition's Art and Elegance Gala, set for 5:30 p.m. on March 28 at the Oak Harbor Elks Lodge. The event pairs fine dining and live and silent auctions with an unusual hook: elaborately themed table arrangements, known as tablescaping, that guests can bid on and carry home piece by piece.

Eight people designed tablescapes for the gala, all of whom are from Whidbey, according to coalition president Bobbi Lornson. Among them is Marilyn Clay, whose table is mid-century themed and borrows Oak Harbor High School's purple-and-gold color scheme, featuring gold-rimmed china, a purple tablecloth and pearl napkin rings. "What makes a table the most interesting is planning ahead, figuring out your colors or lack of colors and creating a system of layering that gives a table texture and dimension," Clay said.

The designers are not being compensated. "Most of the women that are participating in this love to entertain and love to set a table, and all of us, I believe, are donating our time, our money and our personal belongings to this," said Therese Kingsbury, one of the participating tablescapers.

That personal investment extends directly to what bidders can win. Everything from full sets of china and cutlery to the decorative centerpieces themselves will go up for auction, meaning attendees can walk away with a complete, ready-to-use tablescape. The auction will also feature paintings, sculptures, textile art, artisan jewelry, glass-blown pieces, pottery and one-of-a-kind experiences.

Lornson said proceeds from ticket sales and the auctions will fund daily operations at the coalition's two facilities: The Haven, a year-round night-to-night shelter, and House of Hope, a 90-day shelter for families and single adults, which together make up the only provider of overnight shelter services in Island County. The Haven serves up to 30 individuals per night, 365 days a year. The House of Hope in Langley, which opened Memorial Day of 2015, operates as a 90-day shelter for families and single adults who are homeless or at severe risk of becoming homeless.

The gala also marks the start of a larger fundraising push. The coalition is gearing up to begin fundraising in April; $60,000 is needed to enlarge its septic system. Two years into operating The Haven at its permanent location in Coupeville, the cost of its services has become a growing challenge, with monthly electric bills climbing to over $1,000 and ongoing infrastructure needs such as plumbing adding to the financial strain.

In 2025 alone, The Haven welcomed 127 unique individuals, of whom 20 transitioned into permanent housing and six successfully completed treatment programs.

Individual tickets are listed at $60, and a table for eight is $550, which includes the sponsor's name or logo in the event program. Tickets can be purchased at whidbeyhomeless.org. The coalition can also be reached by phone at 360.900.3077 or by email at info@whidbeyhomeless.org.