Three community leaders shared the spotlight Saturday during the seventh annual Community Heroes Luncheon, sponsored by the Suffolk Democratic Committee.

Circuit Court Clerk Randy Carter, former Mayor Andy Damiani and citizen-activist Wallace Cotten were the guests of honor for the event, held at the Hilton Garden Inn on East Constance Road.

Carter was honored for his work to advance the restoration of voting rights for convicted felons who have served their time. Damiani was recognized for his efforts on behalf of the city of Suffolk, both in and out of elective office. And Cotten was hailed for, among other things, his work to register new voters.

Jack Crowley, who has volunteered with Suffolk’s rights restoration program, introduced Carter.

“Restoration of rights is non-political,” he said, noting that officials have spoken to more than 230 people interested in pursuing voting rights restoration since the program began in Suffolk in 2012. From that total, 68 applications have been filed, and 51 people have had their rights restored.

“It’s just the right thing to do,” Crowley said.

Noting that he’d been a prosecutor for more than 17 years before he was elected as circuit court clerk, Carter said he’s had the opportunity since launching the program to help restore the voting rights of some of the people he’d helped convict.

“If you’re doing what you’re supposed to do, I’m not going to put my foot on your neck,” he said. “These people have done what they’re supposed to do.”

The Democrats turned to a relative newcomer to introduce the eldest honoree and one of the city’s most stalwart supporters, 93-year-old Damiani.

Describing his first encounter with Damiani during a candidates’ forum for those running for the office of mayor in 2008, Benjamin Goldberg said he’d been impressed when Damiani, who served as an appointed mayor from 1982 to 1986, admitted that as mayor he’d have little ability to do anything that would solve traffic problems on U.S. Route 58.

Pointing to Damiani’s “astounding, astounding amount of public commitment,” Goldberg said the former mayor, councilman, business leader and community cheerleader has “tirelessly promoted Suffolk.”

“I thought when I retired from politics a while back, that’d be the end of it,” Damiani told several dozen Democratic Party members who attended the luncheon. “But it just keeps going.”

“I think we’ve done a good job after 40 years of consolidation (between the former Nansemond County and the city of Suffolk),” he said. “I think we’ve got a great city today.”

Introducing Wallace “Wally” Cotten, Margaret Barnes described how he’d set up a voter registration table at the Racetrack gas station on Portsmouth Boulevard, where “hundreds” of voters had been registered prior to the 2008 election. He has also made himself available for other volunteer projects needed by the party, she said.

“If you needed someone to walk the streets and knock on doors for you, Wally was there,” she said. “I’m honored to know Wally.”

Accepting the award on behalf of her father, who has trouble speaking since suffering a stroke, Shelley Cotten described growing up with a man as committed as he has been to helping others.

“As far back as I can remember, my dad has had a heart for giving,” she said, recalling that he had loaded a truck with emergency supplies and had driven it to New Orleans by himself after Hurricane Katrina did so much damage to that city.

His efforts on behalf of the Democratic Party in 2008 earned him an invitation to dinner at the White House, she said, but the event was canceled when a major snowstorm closed down much of the city.

Gaylene Kanoyton, first vice chair of the Democratic Party of Virginia, was the keynote speaker for the event, describing the importance of Democrats staking their claim to Suffolk and the rest of the commonwealth.

“It’s critical that we have our stake in the ground as Democrats,” she said.