By: Annabelle Moore

Craig Finlayson is the foundation that keeps the lights on, the vehicles running and the American Red Cross Lubbock office ready to respond when the call for aid arrives.

“I’ve always been a handyman,” says Finlayson. “So, I used those interests with the Red Cross.”

When the COVID-19 pandemic reduced in-person activities, Finlayson ensured the office remained in good shape, made repairs when necessary and kept the facility secure.

A self-proclaimed “incognito background guy,” Finlayson enjoys helping administratively by organizing CPR Classes, board meetings and improving building access for Red Crossers.

After retiring from the University of Texas Tech System as Director of Finance for the Office of Institutional Advancement, he volunteered on the Disaster Action Team and Fleet and Facilities. “I don’t wait for the disasters,” says Finlayson. He ensures the logistics and maintenance of Lubbock’s Emergency Response Vehicles are always ready to roll.

Finlayson, a Lubbock resident, achieved the Boy Scouts highest rank of Eagle Scout when the devastating F-5 Tornado tore through Lubbock on May 11, 1970. Finlayson remembers working alongside the Red Cross, which was providing shelters for the thousands of people who lost their homes.

It’s the Red Cross community that keeps him coming back. “I couldn’t do it without the camaraderie of the people here,” says Finlayson. He’s continuously inspired by “the staff and volunteers we have in the chapter, the professionalism and volunteer spirit they have ready to get boots on the ground and serve the mission of the Red Cross here in West Texas.”