From Obstacles to Oasis: Julie Rummer Wins $25,000 Bobcat Backyard Makeover

When Bobcat offered equipment fans a shot at a backyard makeover worth $25,000 in the Bobcat Backyard Makeover Contest, Julie Rummer of Turlock, California, recognized a chance to kick-start her dream of a wheelchair-accessible backyard with room to garden, entertain and get away.  

But it was only a chance. Just another dream. Lucky for Julie, Bobcat knows a thing or two about turning dreams into reality. 

The finalists were chosen. The votes were tallied. And the backyard was built. Now, Bobcat is happy to report that Julie Rummer and her family have a beautiful new backyard to enjoy.  

Julie’s dream backyard is more than a lawn or a place to relax. It’s a source of pride and empowerment. The team at Bobcat is thrilled that we could help her achieve it.  

In 1995, Julie survived a horrific car accident that left her dependent on a power wheelchair. Over the years, she has dug deep to overcome many obstacles. She settled in the great Central Valley of California to find a better climate for wheelchair accessibility. Even so, her backyard, was, as she described it, a “big disaster.”  

Some areas were inaccessible, and more than once she found herself literally spinning her wheels, stuck in dirt and thorny vegetation. “I’ve gotten stuck, stuck up to my axles,” Julie says. “Like almost needing a Bobcat loader to pull me out!”  

The abundant dusty soil also caused issues for her wheelchair, which attracted dirt and weeds that found their way into Julie’s home.  

A Contest Entry Plants a Seed of Possibility

Julie’s daily limitations drift away while gardening. She desired a completely wheelchair-accessible yard and dream garden – so she could pursue her passion and enjoy more time in the sun. Julie and her husband, Rich, also love to entertain family, friends and neighbors at their home. While they often dreamt of making improvements to their yard, the time and money to make it happen just weren’t there.   

Enter Bobcat and the $25,000 Backyard Makeover. In the Bobcat Backyard Makeover Contest, one lucky winner – the top vote earner among five finalists – would receive $25,000 toward the ultimate backyard.  

Rich found out about the contest first. “I kept seeing it on my Facebook feed, and we’ve always wanted to do something with this area,” he says. “I kept egging Julie on, like ‘Hey, you need to enter this!’” 

With Rich’s encouragement, Julie submitted her contest application, but she didn’t get her hopes up. “Usually when there’s sweepstakes involved, you just kind of put it in your back pocket,” Julie says. “You don’t really expect anything to come of it.” 

From the back pocket to social media, something did come of it. Julie’s story was chosen as a finalist entry, and her community rallied to show their support. The local media even got involved, covering her finalist entry in the Turlock Journal. All told, close friends, family and total strangers helped Julie win the grand prize with more than 50% of the total votes. 

"One morning over coffee, my husband throws the iPad on my lap," Julie says, recalling the day she found out about her win. "I could see it was a picture that we took of me, and I was just shocked."  

The Backyard Moves Forward 

After Julie's win, she and her family got to work planning their backyard makeover. A large concrete path was the centerpiece of Julie’s dream backyard. It provided an easy-to-travel path for reaching every corner. Julie's family and friends completed a large amount of the prep work with an old Bobcat 763 skid-steer loader. This helped to provide a solid launch for a major project, enabling professional contractors to hit the ground running.  

Bobcat, along with a local dealer, Bobcat Central, Inc., brought in an MT100 mini track loader, which was ideal for completing work in the fenced-in area.  

Julie’s son, Jeremy Bundy, was eager to join the project and get hands-on with preparations (along with operating Bobcat equipment). Some of Jeremy’s early childhood memories involve Julie’s green thumb and the abundant bounties from her past gardening projects. He couldn’t wait for his mom to get more space to reignite her passion for plants – and to upgrade future family gatherings.

Tree removal, relocation and planting took place before the concrete installation. Next came the prep work for the new wheelchair-accessible surface. This included demolition and removal of an existing patio, which made room for a new ramp that the Rummers would need for their back door. Next came forms, stakes and other preparations for the concrete pour. 

Finish landscaping included a water and irrigation system, new drought-tolerant plants, compost, and fertilizer. New cedar mulch was placed to prevent weeds and hold moisture during the summer. 

After additional lighting, a fire pit, sound system and other items were installed, the job was done. Now Julie has more space to grow – a blank canvas where she can chase down new dreams of grand gardens, recreation, relaxation and family fun.

A special thank you goes out to HIS Tree Service for tree removal, relocation and planting, Ultimate Concrete for the concrete work, and The Greenery Nursery for its water and irrigation system installation and landscaping.