OG Straws for Veterans: From Prairie Grass to Community Support

Sometimes the strongest connections come from the simplest things. Veterans know this better than anyone — because service is built on resilience, resourcefulness, and community. And surprisingly, one of the simplest tools in history — a straw made from prairie grass — carries a story that links the past with our present.

🌾 Straws on the Prairie

Long before the era of plastic, soldiers, pioneers, and farmers across North America used what they had around them. In the 1800s, and even into the early 20th century, hollow stalks of rye and wheat grass were cut and used as natural straws. For soldiers in the field, these prairie straws were more than convenience — they were practical survival tools.

A hollow stalk could be used to safely sip from streams, helping to prevent illness by keeping a soldier from swallowing debris. It could be used to reach water or supplies in hard-to-access places. In simple but powerful ways, rye grass straws symbolized the ingenuity and resilience that soldiers carried with them everywhere they served.

🎖️ Veterans and Resilience

That same spirit of resilience defines veterans themselves. Canadian soldiers have always made do with what they had, standing strong in harsh conditions, adapting quickly, and supporting one another through challenge and uncertainty. Just as rye grass strengthened the soil beneath their boots, veterans have strengthened the communities they return to after service.

🍻 From the Mess Hall to the Pub

Service life is not only about the front lines. It’s also about the mess halls, canteens, and gathering places where soldiers shared meals, swapped stories, and built bonds of brotherhood and sisterhood. When soldiers returned home, those same traditions continued in pubs, legions, and community halls across Canada.

That’s why bars and restaurants are a natural home for OG Straws for Veterans. Just as soldiers once bent a blade of rye grass to take a sip, today every straw in a drink can serve as a small act of gratitude — a way for Canadians to remember, respect, and give back.

🌍 A Simple Straw, A Greater Purpose

OG Straws are made from Canadian rye grass and are 100% carbon-negative. They reduce plastic waste, support sustainability, and carry forward the legacy of resilience that rye has always symbolized. But beyond their eco story, every case carries a promise:

For every case of 500 OG Straws sold, $5 is donated directly to veterans’ programs in British Columbia. These funds help less well-off veterans and their families with housing, mental health resources, community integration, and the essentials that too often go overlooked.

🙏 Honoring the Past, Building the Future

From the prairie fields where soldiers bent a stalk of rye into a straw, to today’s pubs where Canadians gather to raise a glass, the connection is clear: straws, soldiers, and service have always been linked by resilience.

With OG Straws for Veterans, every drink poured becomes a gesture of thanks. Every straw is a symbol of remembrance. And every case sold ensures that veterans and their families are supported long after their service is done.

One sip at a time, we honor the past and build a stronger, greener future.