LEOMINSTER— The simple ceremony shone with homegrown patriotism: the pledge and prayer, the welcome back for two local soldiers and then an assembly line putting together care packages that carried more than just candy and books.

These packages held a little bit of home, if only in the warm wishes that sent them off.

A couple of dozen volunteers — children, seniors and those in between — walked along tables in the Leominster Veterans Center Thursday night as they stuffed crackers, peppermints and granola bars into plastic bags. CDs, magazines and foam footballs were packed as well.

And when the boxes were bound up with tape, they would be sent to soldiers from the area serving overseas.

American Family Link, a Leominster-based group, calls these boxes “patriot packages” and four each were to be sent to 24 soldiers.

Jay Thibeault knows what care packages can mean.

“It helps. You know there’s somebody back home thinking of you and they care,” Mr. Thibeault said.

The 24-year-old served in Iraq for about six months from 2004 to 2005 with the Marines. He came back to Leominster in December.

James Gabriel, also 24, served in Iraq from January 2004 to February 2005 with the Army Reserves, before coming home to Leominster.

“It makes you feel like people are thinking about you. It makes you feel like you’re not forgotten over there,” Mr. Gabriel said.

Both men said care packages arrived in Iraq and were shared by the soldiers but they do not know who sends the boxes.

The pair were welcomed home by American Family Link in a brief ceremony that included recognition from Dennis Lyddy, who served in Iraq in 2003 with the U.S. Army Reserves.

“I never expected to get anything at all,” Mr. Thibeault told the group as he held a welcome-home package.

An older veteran standing off to the side told him the group appreciated what he did and saluted the younger soldier.

The group also heard from Jim Sereigo-Wareing, the director of New England Caring for our Military in Methuen, who is rallying backers for a “Support Our Troops” license plate.

To start the manufacture of the license plates, which show a bald eagle and a yellow ribbon, the group needs to gather 3,000 applications and the corresponding $40 check to pay for the plate, Mr. Sereigo-Wareing said.

His group will receive $28 for each plate sold and later the entire fee when the plates are renewed, according to a flier. New England Caring for our Military can, at its discretion, distribute a portion of the proceeds to other nonprofits that do similar work providing troops with support, such as care packages and telephone cards, according to the flier.

After the ceremony, volunteers went to work, quickly bagging up snacks and packing boxes.

A shaker of cinnamon sugar went into one bag, and Patricia Landale of Leominster said the spice would no doubt end up on meals ready to eat.

Mrs. Landale, whose son is home after his second tour in Iraq, said the soldiers really appreciate the packages.

“They need to know the community cares,” she said.

Kelly Lyddy of Leominster came to the group when her husband, Dennis, was in Iraq and there were two casualties in his unit back to back. She needed help making 250 memorial ribbons and pins for the funerals, and asked American Family Link for help, even though the group did not know her at all, she said.

But after an e-mail went out, the volunteers turned up with ironing boards and glue guns and helped her get the work done, she said.

American Family Link is more than just sending out packages to the troops, Mrs. Lyddy said.

The group provides support for families, she said.

And, she added, “military understands military, no matter what branch of the service they are.”