Youth Pages Keep Conference Running Smoothly

It is easy to find the pages of the WPAUMC annual conference –and NOT just  because of their matching shirts. They are the young adults who are constantly working.

Austin Young, 13, a first-time page, worked with others to prepare for Thursday morning’s session by putting together packets and setting up tables. The pages worked until 1am.

The long hours and hard work aren’t for everyone. Youth volunteer to serve as pages for various reasons. Both Kayla Schwanke, 15, and Caitlin Tichineo, 13, came as rookie pages this year because someone close to them recommended it. Kayla, from Russell United Methodist Church, got the idea from her pastor’s wife. She is the only page from her church. Caitlin, from Lander UMC, came because her father suggested that she work as a page. She’s glad she did and hopes to return next year as a page.

Being a page isn’t just long hours with hard work. They also have time to relax, make new friends, and enjoy ice cream, pie, and a pizza party with “Bishop Tom” Bickerton. These benefits are the favorite part of a page’s job for many.

Zac Leamer, 17, and Seth Perry, 16, perfectly demonstrate how new friendships form among pages. Zac, from North East UMC, made friends with a lot of new people, including Seth, from Oak Hill UMC.

"I like it all," Seth said. "I hope to be here next year."