When Jim LeBlanc’s kids were younger, there wasn’t much to do in Leominster. On weekends, the family would take day trips in search of fun events like a jack-o’-lantern festival over the border in New Hampshire.

But over the past 20 years, one family-friendly event after another has sprouted in Leominster. Located at the intersection of Route 2 and Interstate 190, the city has thrived under the leadership of longtime mayor Dean Mazzarella, Leblanc said.

“Since he’s been mayor, you don’t need to go anywhere,’’ said LeBlanc, 70, who was born and raised in the city. “You’ve got winter strolls, summer strolls, a Halloween parade, you name it. And it’s all family oriented.’’

Despite its population (roughly 41,000), it’s a close-knit community that supports its veterans, senior citizens, families, businesses, and volunteers, LeBlanc said.

Over the course of 50 years, LeBlanc has worked at Foster Grant in Leominster and then Fosta-Tek Optics, which designs and manufactures polymer components for optics and lenses. LeBlanc is vice president and a part owner of Fosta-Tek, one of the largest producers of optics for the US military. From late 2001 to summer 2015, the company made 17.5 million pairs of gas-mask lenses right here in Leominster.

When he’s not working, LeBlanc likes to give back to the community. Last year he was named a Citizen of the Year. Friends, family, and colleagues surprised him with a party, honoring him for his 50 years of community service with the city’s Office of Emergency Management, including as a member of the rescue scuba team.

“I had state senators, the mayor, city counselors, everyone there,’’ he said. “There were 200 people sitting in a hall. That was a shocker to me but shows the kind of people here in town.’’

Jennifer Fenn Lefferts can be reached at JFLefferts@yahoo.com.