Courtesy Photo Lions District Governor Dennis Gocha of East Jordan, left, presents Hillman Lion Barb Durflinger with the S.A. Dodge Distinguished Service Award at the Michigan Lions Convention held May 15 to 17 in Bay City.

Hillman Lion Barb Durflinger was honored with the S.A. Dodge Distinguished Service Award at the Michigan Lions Convention held May 15 to 17 in Bay City. The Dodge award, a lifetime achievement award, is the highest award a Lion can receive in the state of Michigan.

Durflinger joined the Benton Harbor-Fairplain Lions in 1988, and served as a board member, secretary, or treasurer every year. She also served as a board member on the Benton Harbor Lions Foundation. She served as District 11-B2 cabinet secretary/treasurer three times.

In 2004, Durflinger transferred into the Hillman Lions Club when she and husband Duane retired and moved to northern Michigan. She has served as Hillman Lions treasurer for a number of years. She initiated the “Adopt a Class” program to work with fifth graders in both Hillman and Rogers City. She initiated the weekend food backpack programs for needy children in Hillman Schools, Rogers City Schools and Atlanta Schools. She chairs the monthly pop-up pantry food distribution in Hillman which feeds 200 families per month. This program was recently expanded to do food distributions twice a month. In 2024, 250,000 pounds of food were distributed.

Durflinger’s service to District 11-E2 (17 counties in northern Michigan) includes serving as cabinet secretary/treasurer 13 times, zone chair, region chair, Vice District Governor and District Governor. She served four terms as District All-State Band Chair. She coordinated the district “Cents for Sandy” fundraiser to support the victims of Hurricane Sandy. She served as District Lions Clubs International Foundation Chair from 2015 to 2024. She chaired the District’s relief efforts for the victims of the Gaylord tornado, securing over $40,000 to assist in both immediate relief and reconstruction. She has conducted the treasurer training for District 11-E2 for the past 10 years. She is a Certified Guiding Lion. She served three terms as a Lions of Michigan Foundation trustee, and has served as assistant treasurer of the Foundation since 2018.

Durflinger has received numerous Lions awards including a Melvin Jones Fellowship, a Noel Fellowship, a Helen Keller Fellowship, and a Lautzenheiser Fellowship. She was named Lion of the Year in 1993 in the Benton Harbor Lions Club, and Lion of the Year in 2005 in the Hillman Lions Club. She has received six International President’s Certificates of Appreciation, the International Presidential Award and the International Leadership Award, as well as multiple District Governor Certificates of Appreciation. She was inducted into the Lions of Michigan Hall of Fame in 2023.

In addition to her Lions service, Durflinger is the treasurer of the Hillman Chamber of Commerce and volunteers at the Brush Creek Mill.