The 76-year-old was among those who volunteered for a working bee on Saturday afternoon to make sure they looked as good as possible.
He served in the army for 27 years, and was also part of the New Zealand Remembrance Army, a charity which aimed to restore service headstones and memorials, Mr Jenkins said.
The group worked throughout the year, as well as holding annual clean-up events before Anzac Day tomorrow.
"We do it as part of a legacy of respect."
Local co-ordinator Bernie Flaherty said about 10 volunteers had come along to help out, many of whom were members of the Otago Military Historical Society.
It was fewer than last year, but still enough to do some good work, he said.
"We’re giving them a good spruce-up, to make them look like a million bucks for Anzac Day," Mr Flaherty said.
While the graves were in fairly good condition, there was room for improvement.
The group aimed to clean around 60 to 70 graves in the course of the afternoon, scrubbing them and removing lichen.
