Associated Press Writer

By JAMES MacPHEBy JAMES MacPHERSON

The organizer of an attempt to reclaim Bismarck's "snow angel" record says the people were ready but the white stuff wasn't.

"One thing snow angels need is snow," said Marilyn Snyder, curator of education for the State Historical Society of North Dakota.

The event was scheduled for today on the North Dakota Capitol grounds as part of a larger festival, called "Showcase North Dakota."

There was no snow at the Capitol mall on Monday, prompting Snyder to scrub the event.

"I didn't have any problems with people," Snyder said. "I was figuring between 4,000 and 5,000 people would show up."

"It is not canceled," Snyder said. "It's postponed."

Bismarck created the Guinness Book of Records category when 1,791 people waved their arms and legs in the snow at the state Capitol more than four years ago.

The city retained the record despite the efforts of the residents of Syracuse, N.Y., who failed in 2004 and 2005 year to top it.

But students at Michigan Technological University in Houghton broke the record last February, with 3,784 snow angels. On the same day, students at the engineering school set records for the largest snowball fight, and rolling the largest snowball.

Paul Judge, a Michigan Tech biochemistry major who helped organize February's record-breaking attempt, said he and other students have been monitoring Bismarck's weather for about a week, through Web cams.

"I was actually anticipating a fairly good run by Bismarck and I'm a little disappointed that it wasn't able to happen," Judge said. "At the same time, Michigan Tech can hang on to the record, as we rightly should."

Judge said he had "minor concerns" that Bismarck would regain the record.

Snyder said the Bismarck event will be rescheduled soon.

"My best guess now is February - that's when meteorologists and the Farmer's Almanac are telling me there will be snow," Snyder said.

Snyder had previously relied on the Farmer's Almanac and help from her mother's prayer group to ensure that there would be snow on Tuesday.

Her mother, 87-year-old Gladys Berger, of Beach, has been praying for snow with her prayer group for months.

Berger said the prayer group, which has seven members, has been together for about 50 years. Most times, the group has seen results from its prayers, she said.

"If it's something we're supposed to have, we get it," Berger said. "If the Lord doesn't think you should have what you're praying for then you shouldn't have it."

Berger said she was worried that snow may make holiday traveling more difficult, so she may not have put 100 percent behind her prayers.

"Over the holiday there are so many accidents," she said. "It might be that if you prayed for snow and got it and if somebody got killed then you would feel like you were to be blamed for it."