John Porazinski knelt in the grass at the New Hampshire State Veterans Cemetery in Boscawen on Wednesday morning, carefully scrubbing the headstones of his fellow veterans.
Dressed in an army rain jacket, Porazinski, who was with the Massachusetts National Guard for 21 years, joined dozens of volunteers to honor those who served and to prepare the cemetery grounds ahead of Veterans Day.
“I have friends in here,” said Porazinski, now an employee at Eversource Energy. “I was able to clean his stone while I was here and spend a little extra time. It’s a great feeling to give back to the community.”
The cleanup was part of Granite United Way’s volunteer-led effort that brought together 91 volunteers from 10 local companies.
John Porazinski, an Eversource employee and a veteran, cleans a marker in the pouring rain at the New Hampshire State Veterans Cemetery in Boscawen in his U.S. Army-issued rain parka during the United Way Day of Caring on Wednesday, October 22, 2025. Credit: GEOFF FORESTER / For the Monitor 
Eversource lineman Adam Johnston scrubs a grave marker at the New Hampshire State Veterans Cemetery in Boscawen as employees cleaned every marker during the United Way Day of Caring on Wednesday, October 22, 2025. Credit: GEOFF FORESTER / For the Monitor 
Mark Schrepfer pauses at the veteran marker of his father, Robert, at the New Hampshire State Veterans Cemetery in Boscawen on Wednesday, October 22, 2025. Credit: GEOFF FORESTER / For the Monitor
With brushes and gardening tools, the group worked to ensure every inch of the cemetery was cared for. They washed headstones, tidied garden beds and cleared out plants that wouldn’t return in spring. They edged pathways, pulled weeds and prepared the grounds for winter.
Christina Huntress, community engagement director at Granite United Way, said that despite the bad weather, volunteers showed up to ensure the cemetery was in “tip-top shape” ahead of Veterans Day and the Wreaths for Boscawen event in December.
“It’s just absolutely incredible to see everybody, especially in the rain this morning, come out with all of their gardening tools and make sure that we’re doing everything we can to give our veterans and their family members a beautiful and dignified place to rest,” said Huntress.
Most of the volunteers at the veterans cemetery were either veterans themselves or had a friend or family member buried there.
Mark Schrepfer visited the grave of his father, Robert Schrepfer, who served 20 years in both the U.S. Coast Guard and the U.S. Navy Reserves.
“I was so grateful they came and cleaned the markers; I wanted to get a brush and help,” Schrepfer said, looking at the volunteers.