If you did not want to pay for two xbees and don't like the analog method, use 2 arduinos, one on each end of a wire. You can tie the switches to 1 arduino. It then sends all the signals down a wire using some a convenient protocol to your second arduino, which does something with the information.
If you use a RBBB under the bench, your cost is about ($12+battery pack - say $14, plus switches and some wire), which is pretty cheap, and much less than ($22x2= $44) for two xbees.