Gladys Berger, 86, of Beach, accepted a tough job in 2002.

And reportedly fulfilled all expectations.

During a snowless period in March 2002 - when the ground was about as dry as the nap on the hide of a camel at high noon in the Sahara - Berger was asked by her daughter to start praying to God to let some snow fall on Bismarck's State Capitol grounds within the next couple of days.

Specifically, the snowfall needed to happen in time for the March 23, 2002, scheduled attempt to establish a new Guiness Book of Records record for the most snow angels made simultaneously.

Berger - mother of Marilyn Snyder who is the education curator for the Historical Society of North Dakota and organizer of the snow angel attempt - began daily praying.

And behold, one day before the event, it came down. Berger prayed for 6 inches. The almighty snow vendor apparently didn't have quite the inventory - 5 1/2 inches was delivered. But enough for the event to be held, the record established.

Sadly, Michigan gets snow, too. And university students there need to be entertained.

So last year, Michigan Technological University, in Houghton, Mich., had plenty of white material to work with on Feb. 10 when 3,784 people lay on their backs there and made angels, leaving no doubt that the school had smashed North Dakota's 1,291-angels record.

But that was earlier this year. And Snyder and crew isn't prepared to let year 2006 end without an attempt to snatch back North Dakota's angel record.

It doesn't matter that currently the ground looks like camel hide nap.

"Heavens, we're going to have snow," Snyder said Friday.

This time, her mother has been praying since July for snow. Ever since Snyder phoned in the request.

"I have it in my mind all the time …," Berger said.

Whenever she thinks of it, she reminds God in prayer that her daughter needs snow to fall on Dec. 23, three days before the 1 p.m. Dec. 26 attempt. And she's asking for more this time - 1 foot. And Berger has help this time - seven friends, all Beach residents, on a prayer chain that are also praying for snow.

Even though the bulk of prayers are emanating from Beach, she's confident in God's all-knowing geography abilities - and is sure the snow will fall in Bismarck not Beach.

Berger is sure God won't let her down. "He never does."

To make sure there isn't another kind of letdown, not enough angels to retake the record, state employees are putting on a four-day festival, Dec. 26-29, at facilities on the Capitol Grounds. The hope is the festival will help draw enough people, at least 4,000 angel-makers to break it, or what Snyder really wants, 10,000 strong, so the record can never be broken again.

The festival, called Showcase North Dakota, also is meant to be a thank you to the public from state employees and will be held in the State Capitol in its Memorial Hall and Legislative Hall, and in the North Dakota Heritage Center.

Instead of having not-so-fun contacts with state employees, such as paying taxes or failing a driving test, the public can "meet public employees under happy circumstances," Snyder says.

(Reach reporter Virginia Grantier at 250-8254 or at virginia.grantier@bismarcktribune.com)