LOCAL BRIEFS

Janie Lapka, a broker associate of Coldwell Banker Burnet based in St. Cloud, recently was awarded the Certified Residential Specialist Designation by the Council of Residential Specialists, a not-for-profit affiliate of the National Association of Realtors.

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Lapka has been a real estate agent in the Brainerd Lakes area for more than 21 years and she continues to serve the lakes area.

Realtors who receive the CRS designation have completed advanced courses and have demonstrated expertise in the field of residential real estate. Fewer than 38,000 real estate agents nationwide have earned the credential.

Janie Lapka

CRS designees subscribe to a strict Realtor code of ethics, have access to the latest technology and help clients maximize profits and minimize costs when buying or selling a home.

Lapka is a member of the local, state and national Greater Lakes Association of Realtors boards. She's been a kinship partner for two years and has volunteered for Zonta and the Heartland Animal Rescue Team.

Annual Yikes! Bikes! tour set in Walker

WALKER - The annual Yikes! Bikes! tour that benefits Habitat for Humanity will be held July 19 in Walker.

The bike ride, which is geared for cyclists of all abilities, includes routes of 18, 40 or 60 miles, all beginning at the Community Church in Walker. Registration is from 7-8:30 a.m. for the 18- and 40-mile rides and 6-7 a.m. for the 60-mile ride. The 18-mile route is on the Heartland Trail. The 40-mile route is along rural roads and through forested areas past Laporte, nearly to Nary and back to Walker. The 60-mile route has an additional loop going north on the Heartland Trail to Cass Lake and on the Mi-Gi-Zi Trail that goes through the Chippewa National Forest.

Cyclists go at their own pace and rest stops will be provided along the routes with beverages, snacks and entertainment.

Registration fee is $30 per person or $75 for families, if signed up by July 1, and $40 per person or $85 for families after July 1. Registration also may be made the day of the ride. T-shirts are not guaranteed for riders who sign up after July 10.

To register go to www.lakesareahabitat.org/events.htm or pick up a registration form at Trailblazer Bikes or Easy Riders Bicycle and Sport in Brainerd.