YOUNGSTOWN — Developers of the Robinson-Shuba Commemorative Statue have made available 18 videos of statue donors and volunteers sharing the reasons they support the memorial planned for downtown Youngstown.

On another visual platform, a story that “CBS Sunday Morning” put together on the project is set to air at 9 a.m. today.

CBS crews filmed interviews with Herb Washington, a local McDonald’s restaurants operator and co-chair of the committee developing the statue, and Mike Shuba, son of the late George Shuba, who will be portrayed in the statue shaking hands with his teammate, baseball Hall of Famer Jackie Robinson.

Another CBS crew captured footage of sculptor Marc Mellon working on the model for the larger-than-life bronze memorial in his studio in Redding, Conn.

Donor and volunteer support for the project has been growing.

Those sharing their sentiments in the 18 videos include Lou Zona, executive director of the Butler Institute of American Art; Darryl Anderson, network administrator for the city of Youngstown; and Frank Nolasco, president of the Curbstone Coaches, and members of the committee leading the statue project.

“This is a fun way to convey the grassroots support we’re generating, and we’re inviting all of our donors and volunteers to send us short videos we can publish on our YouTube channel, website and social media,” Greg Gulas, co-chair of the statue project committee, said.

More information is available from the Fans page on the statue project website, www.robinsonshu ba.org/fans.

The statue, scheduled for dedication next year, celebrates the 1946 handshake of Jackie Robinson, the first African-American allowed in mainstream professional baseball, and George Shuba, his white teammate from Youngstown.

The pair shook hands at home plate after Robinson hit his first home run and after Shuba, the on-deck batter, noticed that neither of the two teammates who scored on the homer waited at home to congratulate Robinson.

“That 1946 handshake was huge and said a lot about Youngstown as a community where people respect and appreciate each other, regardless of their race,” Ernie Brown, another project committee co-chair, said. “We’re very excited about spotlighting that moment with a beautiful, larger-than-life bronze statue in Wean Park.”

Dedication of the statue is planned for April 18, the 75th anniversary of the Robinson-Shuba handshake. More information about the statue project, including opportunities to support it, can be found at www.rob insonshuba.org.

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