The record still means too much to Marilyn Snyder, so as others try – and fail – to break it, she sighs a bit harder and grows a bit prouder.

The record (which sounds so silly to begin with – most simultaneous snow angels?) is stuck to Snyder’s heart. It’s something Syracuse is trying to take away from her.

This past weekend, David Zehner, associate principle at North Syracuse Junior High School, called on 1,792 + 1 (1,793 to the mathematically challenged) angels to spread their wings all the way to the Guinness World Records book.

On Saturday 888 angelic souls, less than half that was needed, showed up at the school to try for the record – another failed attempt. And as the news reached Snyder in Bismarck, N.D., the Grandmother of Snow Angels gave a sigh of relief.

In November 2001, the State Historical Society of North Dakota needed to promote its new exhibit – Winter Memories: Having Fun and Keeping Warm. As the curator of education, Snyder needed an opening act to help promote the exhibit.

As Snyder sat in a meeting, inspiration struck.

She checked the Guinness Web site, to see if a record for most simultaneous snow angels existed. Failing to find one, she called Guinness to see if Bismarck could create and set it.

On March 23, 2002, she and 1,792 others did just that.

‘It’s a very unique event,’ Snyder said. ‘It’s hard to describe. There’s a great feeling of participation and working together. People came and asked how they could help. The event itself was very uplifting.’

Soon after, Syracuse threatened it. Zehner wanted America’s snow capital (average snowfall of 115 inches) to also be its snow (ITALICS)angel(ITALICS) capital.

So he organized the event in February 2004. Only 644 residents participated. On Saturday at 10 a.m., the number grew by 244, still markedly short of the record.

Undeterred by the low turnout, Zehner is already planning for next year’s attempt. And that has Snyder worried.

Syracuse’s population is about 150,000. Winterfest, the annual weeks-long event that sponsored the world record-attempt, attracts about 50,000 people – roughly Bismarck’s total population.

And with the Great Lakes providing a consistent source, Syracuse won’t have to worry about snow shortages.

Synder knows Christopher Miller, a third-grader from Syracuse whose grandfather lives in Bismarck and participated in the record-setting day.

‘I know there’s a family rivalry going there,’ Snyder said. ‘And the third-grader (Miller) wants his big elementary school to do it. Well, it’s got 3,000 people. If they pull it off, there goes the record.’

Already, Snyder is considering pre-empting Syracuse, hoping to re-establish a record Syracuse has yet to reach.

And support is growing.

‘We got one guy who’s 86 years old,’ Snyder said. ‘Last time, he just watched as we did the snow angels. But he already told me that next time he’s doing it.’

A friendly rivalry has already sprung up between Syracuse and Bismark. Or, perhaps more accurately, Zehner and Snyder.

Zehner offered Snyder an invitation this Saturday, one she graciously declined. She doesn’t want to see that record go.

‘It’s kind of a mixed feeling,’ Snyder said. ‘It’s fun that people think it’s unique to go for it, that it’s something other people are interested in. But at the same time, we have ownership of that record, and it’s not something we want to give up.’

Scott Lieber is a junior magazine major. E-mail him at smlieber@syr.edu.

Published on February 21, 2005 at 12:00 pm