HIGHLAND | About 50 volunteers recently celebrated the fifth anniversary of what began as a labor of love and has turned into a successful enterprise.

Paws, a resale shop in Highland that raises money for the Humane Society Calumet Area, has generated more than $204,000 in the last five years for the shelter, according to shop manager Gloria Wilhite.

The project began when some humane society board members, who knew how scarce funding was for the shelter, began thinking about ways to raise funds.

Sandra Furman and Sharalynne Pasztor co-founded the resale shop to provide steady income for the shelter, 421 45th St. in Munster, and their efforts have paid off.

"We wanted an upscale resale shop," Furman said. "We didn't want people to associate this shop with junky stuff and think the (shelter) animals were junk."

The pair gathered other volunteers and began scouring garage sales, other shops and their own homes to stock the store, and Furman still giggles when she talks about the day the shop opened.

"We thought, 'What if we open the door and nobody comes?' But there was a line down the block. By the end of the day, we had nothing left to sell!"

The volunteers again searched their homes for items to fill the shop, pricing them high so they wouldn't sell right away but would show people what kinds of merchandise Paws wanted to sell.

Business has been steady, with the shop expanding its space twice thanks to steady customers, and the shop continues to sell furniture, crystal, silver, jewelry, books, picnic tables, antiques, sports memorabilia and equipment, linens, collectibles, clocks, art pieces and nicer kitchen items. Pickup service can be arranged for furniture.

Furman said volunteering in the shop has been a way for animal lovers to help the shelter without experiencing the sadness that can come upon seeing homeless animals awaiting adoption.

One team accepts and sorts donations Mondays, and other teams organize and decorate the shop. The teams were able to meet at the recent volunteer dinner.

Furman described the dinner as "a garden party of appreciation" for all of the work the volunteers have done. In fact, the party took place at her home in Dyer and featured an Italian villa theme.

Checked tablecloths, bottles of wine, strings of lights with checked tablecloths complemented the meal, which featured lasagna, pasta salad, bread with olive oil for dipping and other delicacies.

Music by Frank Sinatra filled the air as the ladies - and a few men - celebrated the shop's anniversary.