John Bitove

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  • VMRO
    Senior Member
    • Sep 2008
    • 1462

    I've come across some information that Bitove vistited Vancho Mihajlov in Rome, Bitove visited him a number of times.

    Bitove also financed Vancho Mihajlov, has anyone else heard of this?
    Verata vo Mislite, VMRO vo dushata, Makedonia vo Srceto.

    Vnatreshna Makedonska Revolucionerna Organizacija.

    Comment

    • Makedonska_Kafana
      Senior Member
      • Aug 2010
      • 2642

      I, have known this family my ENTIRE life and have sadly seen personal business matters kill friendships including within their own family ie. Steve Stavro and MPO "Luben Dimitroff" in Toronto, Canada.

      Email sent to me ..

      - I don't know who you are but in North America they practice free speech. I am not part of umd but people and organizations are allowed the freedom to speak here. Take your concerns to them.

      Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone powered by Mobilicity

      http://www.macedonia2025.com/about/board (UMD SENIOR)
      Last edited by Makedonska_Kafana; 01-25-2013, 08:57 PM.
      http://www.makedonskakafana.com

      Macedonia for the Macedonians

      Comment

      • Makedonska_Kafana
        Senior Member
        • Aug 2010
        • 2642

        Originally posted by Makedonska_Kafana View Post
        I, have known this family my ENTIRE LIFE
        Originally posted by Makedonska_Kafana
        Which, of the following organizations would you consider the most trustworthy?
        Email sent to me ..

        - I don't know who you are but in North America they practice free speech. I am not part of umd but people and organizations are allowed the freedom to speak here. Take your concerns to them.

        Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone powered by Mobilicity

        NOTE

        LOOKS, LIKE THEY'RE SO ASHAMED OF THE UMD THEY MUST LIE?
        Last edited by Makedonska_Kafana; 11-05-2012, 06:32 PM.
        http://www.makedonskakafana.com

        Macedonia for the Macedonians

        Comment

        • VMRO
          Senior Member
          • Sep 2008
          • 1462

          Originally posted by Makedonska_Kafana View Post
          Email sent to me ..

          - I don't know who you are but in North America they practice free speech. I am not part of umd but people and organizations are allowed the freedom to speak here. Take your concerns to them.

          Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone powered by Mobilicity

          NOTE

          LOOKS, LIKE THEY'RE SO ASHAMED OF THE UMD THEY MUST LIE?


          MK, That email, was it related to the John Bitove topic or another topic altogether?
          Verata vo Mislite, VMRO vo dushata, Makedonia vo Srceto.

          Vnatreshna Makedonska Revolucionerna Organizacija.

          Comment

          • Makedonska_Kafana
            Senior Member
            • Aug 2010
            • 2642

            Originally posted by VMRO View Post
            MK, That email, was it related to the John Bitove topic or another topic altogether?
            When, I wanted them (Bitove's) to explain why the President of the UMD slandered me on Facebook in 2011.
            http://www.makedonskakafana.com

            Macedonia for the Macedonians

            Comment

            • VMRO
              Senior Member
              • Sep 2008
              • 1462

              Originally posted by Makedonska_Kafana View Post
              When, I wanted them (Bitove's) to explain why the President of the UMD slandered me on Facebook in 2011.
              Thanks MK, all clear now.
              Verata vo Mislite, VMRO vo dushata, Makedonia vo Srceto.

              Vnatreshna Makedonska Revolucionerna Organizacija.

              Comment

              • George S.
                Senior Member
                • Aug 2009
                • 10116

                Macedonians around the world mourn the loss of John Bitove

                - famous Canadian-Macedonian businessman passes peacefully
                Get the latest news from and about the country of North Macedonia – officially the Republic of North Macedonia – a country in southern Europe.


                TORONTO, July 31, 2015 /CNW/ - The Republic of Macedonia is deeply saddened to inform the Macedonian public about the passing of Mr. John Louis Nicholas (Lazo) Bitove Sr., on July 30, 2015 in Toronto, Canada.

                John Bitove was a Canadian businessman of Macedonian origin. He was born in Toronto in 1928 to Macedonian parents, Nikola and Vana, who came from the village of Gabresh, formerly Aegan Macedonia and today's province of Western Macedonia in Greece. Growing up in a family that carried the scars of persecution and suffering had impressed in John Bitove a sense of patriotism for Macedonia and deep love for the Macedonian people. This love became the force that compelled John to dedicate his life to his beliefs and ideals of helping Macedonia and Macedonians across the globe.

                It was his strong will which had led him to grow into a successful businessman. He started at an early age as a helper in his father's butcher shop. He then opened his first restaurant that grew into a chain of restaurants and consequently steered towards several larger ventures, including the largest dining and catering operation in Canada at major stadiums, hospitals and airports. John Bitove was one of the most successful businessmen of Macedonian origin around the world.

                In addition to his business success, John Bitove is truly one of the very few Macedonian heroes of the modern day. He believed in freedom, justice and the ability for all Macedonians to enjoy basic human rights in the states across the Balkans. He donated funds to many organizations that are dedicated to helping Macedonians who were in need. Many churches have been built thanks to his support - most recently the Saint Mother of God in Cambridge and St. Elijah in Mississauga, both in Canada. John Bitove was also a strong believer in education, which caused him to initiate the teaching of the Macedonian language at the University of Toronto. Mr. Bitove has provided scholarships to exceptional students of Macedonian origin in North America.

                Mr. Bitove married his American-Macedonian wife Dotsa in 1949. They were together for 67 years until his death. John and Dotsa Bitove founded the Canadian-Macedonian Place in 1978 - a retirement home for over 100 Canadians of Macedonian origin. Canadian-Macedonian Place organizes one of the oldest Macedonian gatherings in Canada – the Macedonian Open Golf Tournament, which started in 1942 and takes place annually to this day.

                John and Dotsa were deeply impacted by the experience of the children-refugees of Macedonia from the conclusion of World War II, who are known as the Detsa Begaltci. Both of them had relatives among the 30,000 Macedonian children who were sent to the countries of the European Eastern Block to escape persecution and death in their native country. John and Dotsa organized and paid for the reunion that took place in Skopje, in 1984, to re-unite them with their families. This event became a landmark in the latter-day history of the Macedonian people and led to many more Macedonians to reunite with their brothers, sisters, relatives and friends.

                In 1991, he organized, fundraised, and led an international campaign to have the Republic of Macedonia recognized as an independent state by the major world powers. He was very proud that the country gained its independence without a single bullet fired during the bloody dissolution of Yugoslavia.

                Mr. Bitove initiated the idea that the Macedonian Diaspora should have an organization of professionals that is going to work on the economic development of Macedonia. This resulted in the founding of Macedonia2025 by his son John I. Bitove (Jr.), Mike Zafirovski and other notable members of the Diaspora. The organization grew to become the foremost entity of Macedonian professionals from all over the world who help Macedonia become a better and economically stronger country. John Bitove Sr. proudly served as an Honorary Member of Macedonia2025.

                John Bitove's dream as a child – that one day there would again be a country called Macedonia – has become a reality. His help in this achievement and his help for Macedonians is the legacy that he left behind, and he will be dearly missed.

                John Bitove has received numerous awards and recognitions. He was invested with Canada's highest civilian award, The Order of Canada, as well as the "September 8th Medal of Honor," the highest merit from the President of The Republic of Macedonia, Dr. Gjorge Ivanov, for his life-long dedication to supporting Macedonia.

                "John Bitove was a great Macedonian patriot and philanthropist, who loved Macedonia both with words and deeds. He set an example of how to promote the truth about Macedonia and how to cherish the Macedonian name, identity and values. He was guided by the conviction that no one can take away from us "our own independent country with the freedoms that have been earned and the name that has been chosen by the Macedonians". For almost a quarter of a century, John Bitove worked diligently to support the development and progress of the Republic of Macedonia as an independent, sovereign and democratic state, as well as for its international recognition, especially in the relations with friendly Canada. This is why, when we celebrated the 20th anniversary of our independence, I had the honor, on behalf of the grateful Macedonian citizens, to award Mr. Bitove with the Order "September 8th". Many Macedonians are inspired by him and follow his footsteps for giving back to their homeland. The Republic of Macedonia is proud to have a person like John Bitove supporting the country and advocating on our wellbeing globally. He initiated the spark of Macedonian reunion- a noble and humane cause, and I am honored that I had personally known him" – stated the President of Republic of Macedonia, H.E. Dr. Gjorge Ivanov when expressing his sincere condolences to the Bitove family for their loss.

                Mr. Bitove's deeds will be continued through the dedicated work of his five children; Vonna, Nick, Tom, John I. and Jordan and the sixteen grandchildren to whom he left his desire that the culture and tradition of the Macedonian people live on forever. In one of his most famous sayings Mr. Bitove said: "My vision for Macedonia is for all Macedonians throughout the world to respect and cherish each other". He passed away far from Macedonia, but he carried the country deep in his heart.

                SOURCE Macedonia 2025


                For further information: Biljana Markovic, Managing Director, Macedonia 2025, Email: [email protected], Tel: (646) 491 6808
                "Ido not want an uprising of people that would leave me at the first failure, I want revolution with citizens able to bear all the temptations to a prolonged struggle, what, because of the fierce political conditions, will be our guide or cattle to the slaughterhouse"
                GOTSE DELCEV

                Comment

                • George S.
                  Senior Member
                  • Aug 2009
                  • 10116

                  He was a good macedonian man gospot da go prosti.RIP.
                  "Ido not want an uprising of people that would leave me at the first failure, I want revolution with citizens able to bear all the temptations to a prolonged struggle, what, because of the fierce political conditions, will be our guide or cattle to the slaughterhouse"
                  GOTSE DELCEV

                  Comment

                  • George S.
                    Senior Member
                    • Aug 2009
                    • 10116

                    John Bitove Sr., Toronto entrepreneur and Order of Canada recipient, dies at 87

                    John Bitove Sr., Toronto entrepreneur and Order of Canada recipient, dies at 87

                    Laura Hensley | July 31, 2015 11:53 PM ET



                    John Bitove, a successful Canadian businessman and philanthropist of Macedonian origin, passed away peacefully July 30 in Toronto at the age of 87.



                    Bitove was a leading entrepreneur in the food industry. He operated many successful restaurants, including outlets of casual dining chains Big Boy and Roy Rogers in the 1970s. He soon ventured into larger projects when he obtained the catering rights to Toronto’s SkyDome, known today as the Rogers Centre, and Toronto’s Pearson airport. Later, he merged existing companies to form Bitove Corp., at the time one of the largest dining and catering operations in Canada.



                    Outside his business endeavours, Bitove was passionate about his philanthropic work. This included funding the Dotsa Bitove Wellness Academy, named in honour of his wife, for people living with memory-related disorders.



                    “In the last couple of years of his life it was almost his sole dedication to help people with Alzheimer’s,” said their son, John Bitove Jr.



                    Bitove was also driven by a deep sense of patriotism for Macedonia and its people. In 1991, he organized, raised funds for and led an international campaign to have the country recognized as an independent state. His ties to his heritage made him a generous supporter of the Macedonian community locally and abroad.



                    ‘In the last couple of years of his life it was almost his sole dedication to help people with Alzheimer’s’



                    Bitove married American-Macedonian Dotsa in 1949, and they spent 67 years together. They had five children — Vonna, Nick, Tom, John Jr. and Jordan — and 16 grandchildren.

                    Bitove and his wife both had relatives among the 30,000 Macedonian child refugees who were displaced as a result of the Second World War. In 1984, the couple organized and paid for a reunion that took place in the Macedonian capital, Skopje, enabling them to meet relatives there.



                    “He realized that some of his relatives had been persecuted after the war … so he dedicated part of his life, in addition to business and family, to trying to make a difference,” Bitove Jr. said.



                    Born in Toronto in 1928 to Macedonian parents, Nikola and Vana, Bitove started his career in the food industry at an early age by helping in his father’s butcher shop. His persistent work ethic would lead him to becoming one of the most successful businessmen of Macedonian origin in the world.



                    In 1989, Bitove was made a member of the Order of Canada. He also received numerous awards, including the first United Macedonian Diaspora Lifetime Achievement Award and the September 8th Medal of Honor, the highest merit from the president of the Republic of Macedonia.



                    ‘Those two Blue Jays World Series were probably some of the happiest moments of his life’

                    Bitove Jr., also a successful businessman who founded the Toronto Raptor basketball team, remembers his father as a “lover of life” and huge sports fan.



                    “With the involvement with the SkyDome, those two Blue Jays World Series were probably some of the happiest moments of his life,” he said.



                    But despite all his financial success, Bitove’s greatest accomplishment was his family, his son added.



                    “He was most proud of his family and watching his children, and in particular his grandchildren, live a good life, treat people with respect, and be successful — in whatever the meaning of that word is, not just business.”



                    National Post





                    Giant in food business John Bitove Sr. lived for family and for the old country

                    Giving back and aiding Macedonia big parts of legacy of Toronto business titan John Bitove Sr.

                    By: Debra Black Immigration Reporter, Published on Fri Jul 31 2015







                    John Bitove Sr., the Toronto businessman who built a food, beverage and catering empire, died earlier this week surrounded by his children and grandchildren.



                    Bitove Sr., 87, was not only an accomplished Canadian businessman but a philanthropist whose charity work included the founding of the Canadian Macedonian Place for elderly seniors and a charity called ProAction that was dedicated to helping at-risk youth, in partnership with the Metropolitan Toronto Police.



                    Most recently, Bitove working with Toronto General Hospital and York University helped set up the Dotsa Bitove Wellness Centre — a day facility for people with Alzheimer’s. It was a labour of love for him, created to honour his wife, who suffers from the disease.



                    “He raised an incredible family with 16 loving grandchildren,” says his son John Bitove Jr. “He was a very successful businessman. He was involved with the church. He was involved with the community . . . My father was one of those who never really cared to sit and fish.”



                    Bitove Sr. was born in Toronto in 1928 after his parents came to Canada from Gabresh, formerly part of Aegean Macedonia but now in Greece.



                    He worked as a helper in his father’s butcher shop, then built a restaurant business and then a food and catering empire that had contracts with Toronto International Airport as well as SkyDome, now known as the Rogers Centre. He served as chair and CEO of the Bitove Corporation from 1987 to 1996 before passing the torch.



                    One of his proudest moments was opening night of SkyDome in 1989, says Bitove Jr. “We had all the restaurants and the family business in there. It brought everything together. It was a family business. He was a sports fan and it was in a city he loved so much.”



                    But business and sports were not his only passions. For him giving back was extremely important, says his son, pointing to his father’s philanthropic efforts to help the Macedonian community, here and abroad.



                    Bitove Sr. helped raise funds and medical supplies when needed as well as organizing and leading an international campaign to have the Republic of Macedonia recognized as an independent state. As well he helped get off the ground an organization of professionals — Macedonia 2025 — to work on the economic development of Macedonia.



                    “It’s part of the mantle we have to carry,” says Bitove Jr.



                    In 1989, he was made a member of the Order of Canada. Macedonia also recognized his efforts, awarding him the September 8th Medal of Honour for his “life-long dedication” to supporting Macedonia.



                    Bitove Sr. “loved Macedonia both with words and deeds,” Dr. Gjorge Ivanov, the president of the Republic of Macedonia, says in a news release, praising his efforts “for its international recognization, especially in the relations with friendly Canada.”



                    Bitove was a good corporate citizen, a great father and a great friend, says Jim Nikopoulos, chief legal officer at Element Financial Corporation. “I’m tremendously honoured to have called him a friend and mentor.”



                    “John to me personally was a kind, generous man, a sound business leader, a great family man,” says George Markou, a Toronto businessman, adding he was “a giant in the Macedonian community.”



                    Bitove Sr. is survived his five children, 16 grandchildren and his wife. A private funeral service is to take place Saturday, Aug. 1, with a celebration of his life for family and friends to be held after Labour Day.
                    "Ido not want an uprising of people that would leave me at the first failure, I want revolution with citizens able to bear all the temptations to a prolonged struggle, what, because of the fierce political conditions, will be our guide or cattle to the slaughterhouse"
                    GOTSE DELCEV

                    Comment

                    • George S.
                      Senior Member
                      • Aug 2009
                      • 10116

                      Business titan John Bitove Sr. made philanthropy a cause

                      KRISTENE QUAN

                      The Globe and Mail

                      Published Friday, Aug. 21, 2015 6:34PM EDT









                      Businessman John Bitove Sr. was known for dreaming big ideas and delivering on them, along the way playing an influential role in the development of downtown Toronto.

                      The son of Macedonian immigrants, he built what began as a small coffee shop into a food and beverage empire, Bitove Corp., supplying the food concessions at Toronto’s SkyDome (now the Rogers Centre) and at Pearson International Airport in the 1980s and 1990s.



                      When discussions of a domed stadium for downtown Toronto were taking place in the mid-1980s, Mr. Bitove was keen to be involved.



                      “When I came in, he was one of the leading guys who was putting the SkyDome together,” David Peterson, the former Ontario Liberal premier and a family friend, recalled in an interview. The stadium “became the symbol of the new Toronto.”



                      Mr. Bitove died in hospital on July 30 at the age of 87, of natural causes, said one of his sons, John Bitove Jr., the businessman known for starting the Toronto Raptors basketball team and founding the wireless carrier Mobilicity.



                      He said one of his father’s proudest moments was when the Blue Jays won the World Series title in 1993 on their home field. “We were operating all the catering at the SkyDome at the time,” John Jr. said in an interview. “It was a double-triple win – it was great for the city, for the family business and just being a sports fan.”



                      The senior Mr. Bitove, a well-connected Conservative and party fundraiser over the years, was also deeply involved in charitable work – from medical centres to housing for senior citizens to community programs for young people. He didn’t hesitate to call upon family, friends, colleagues and politicians whenever he saw a need.



                      One of his final projects was in conjunction with Toronto’s University Health Network and York University: the Dotsa Bitove Wellness Academy, which opened in 2013. The centre helps people with mild to moderate dementia and is named in honour of his wife, Dotsa, who has Alzheimer’s disease.



                      “He was doing work with Alzheimer’s patients and he came to me for advice and a little help with that. I was very, very happy to be engaged in a very worthwhile project that he drove,” Mr. Peterson said.



                      Years earlier, Mr. Bitove and his wife saw the need for another worthwhile project – a retirement home for people of Macedonian descent, where residents could eat familiar foods and speak their native language in comfortable surroundings. In 1978, the couple founded Canadian Macedonian Place in Toronto’s East York area.



                      For his wide-ranging philanthropy, and his lifelong support of Macedonians, he was invested as a Member of the Order of Canada in 1989 and was given a medal of honour from the Republic of Macedonia in 2012.



                      His inclination to help extended to family, as well. As his four sons branched out on their own, he “became more of a senior adviser, a counsellor, to each of us in our own businesses,” said John Jr. “Sometimes he offered his opinion without asking. If he ended up being right, you would say, ‘I should have listened to Dad.’ And if he ended up being wrong it didn’t matter – he was never short of giving advice.”



                      During his lengthy career, Mr. Bitove ran into some financial troubles (he pleaded guilty to personal tax evasion in 1974), while Bitove Corp. faced several legal battles. In the 1990s, a disagreement arose between the family business and the federal government about rental payments for concessions at Pearson airport; that was followed by a dispute with management at the SkyDome and private box-holders about the prices of concession foods. (The company won the rent tussle, but lost the food-price fight.)



                      John Louis Nicholas Bitove, the youngest of three children, was born on March 19, 1928, in Toronto. His father, Nikola, was a butcher; his mother, Vana (née Kizoff), was a homemaker. They immigrated to Canada from the village of Gabresh in Aegean Macedonia (now part of Greece) after the First World War.



                      John dropped out of school after Grade 9. While he held down three jobs – delivering newspapers, working in his father’s butcher shop and delivering goods for convenience stores – he also found time to play many sports, his favourite being hockey.



                      By the time he was 12, he was managing, coaching and playing for a midget hockey team he founded, the Toronto Young Leafs. With big ideas even then, he persuaded officials at famed Maple Leaf Gardens to let his team use the ice for home games. They went on to win city and provincial championships, and many of his teammates would later play for the NHL.

                      In 1946, he was invited to try out for the Detroit Red Wings, but the Second World War had just ended and money was tight; the 18 year old decided to stay at home and help in his father’s shop on Queen Street East.



                      Three years later, he borrowed $1,500 and opened a 14-stool coffee joint, the Java Shoppe, in North York, which he ran with his new wife, Dotsa Lazoff, whom he had met at a Macedonian convention in Indiana. By 1962, he had built the business into a chain of five restaurants before selling his 50-per-cent stake to his older brother and business partner, Jim.

                      In 1969, Mr. Bitove bought the Canadian franchise rights to two U.S. restaurant chains, Big Boy and Roy Rogers. He named his new venture JB’s Big Boy, which grew to more than 40 outlets across Canada before he sold the franchise rights in 1979.



                      He took a break from the restaurant industry for a few years and turned his attention to the energy sector. By 1983, his Petroinc Resources Ltd., a penny-stock company, sold its listing on the Toronto Stock Exchange to a fledgling form of Peter Munk’s Barrick Gold Corp. Mr. Bitove was paid in shares for the acquiring company and made a consultant for three years afterward.

                      “[He was] really popping up in all sorts of places where you wouldn’t expect,” Trevor Eyton, a retired Conservative senator and long-time friend, said in an interview. “He wasn’t there very long, but at one time he was a significant shareholder in the company that became Barrick Gold. He loved playing the markets. He loved buying and selling anything, and he did it with great success.”



                      In the fall of 1983, York County Quality Foods Ltd., a company Mr. Bitove owned with a group of partners, won a 10-year food-and-beverage contract for two terminals at Pearson airport, beating out Cara Operations Ltd., which had held the contract for 20 years. The contract was a family affair, as Mr. Bitove’s two eldest sons, Tom and Nick, moved in to manage the terminals.



                      Another business opportunity arose in the mid-1980s, when Mr. Bitove became part of the private-sector consortium for the SkyDome; each participant made a $5-million commitment to its construction. The downtown stadium was to be built by a Crown corporation but run by private-sector companies.



                      “He was one of a very small band that conceived and funded the SkyDome,” said Mr. Eyton, who at the time was president and chief executive officer of Brascan Ltd. (now Brookfield Asset Management) and was organizing the stadium’s private-sector consortium.



                      “He saw that the stadium should be located where it is, and the result was that it has transformed that section of the city. Twenty years ago, there wasn’t much down there. Now, of course, it’s a vital part of the city,” Mr. Eyton said.



                      In exchange for Mr. Bitove’s financial commitment, Bitove Corp. got a monopoly on fine-dining rights, supplying all the stadium concessions (except McDonald’s). Throughout the late 1980s, the family business took on a variety of food concession services, such as Via Rail’s club cars, Toronto General Hospital and, in the late 1990s, the En Route service centres on major Ontario highways.



                      By then, Mr. Bitove had taken a step back from day-to-day operations of the business, leaving it to his sons to manage, and focused more on his charitable work.



                      He and his wife were actively involved in the Macedonian community, at home and abroad. Both had relatives who were among the thousands of Macedonian children who became refugees after the Second World War, sent to Eastern European countries to escape persecution in their homeland. In 1984, the couple organized and financed a gathering in Skopje, Macedonia, to reunite displaced families.



                      In 1991, Mr. Bitove co-ordinated and raised money for an international campaign to have the Republic of Macedonia recognized as an independent country. “When the chance came for independence with the breakup of Yugoslavia, he dedicated about two years of his life to work with the governments, lobbying and raising funds toward making sure that Macedonia was recognized as an independent country,” said his son John Jr.



                      “His goal was to make sure it was recognized without any bloodshed – it was very important for him to make sure there was no civil war and no bloodshed, no lives lost in getting the country recognized. Canada, the U.S. and the U.K. were three countries that he spent a lot of time making sure that he got the endorsement, and the recognition from those countries.”



                      Also in 1991, Mr. Bitove founded Proaction Cops and Kids, which raises money for programs developed and delivered by Toronto police officers that specifically engage at-risk youth to help them make better life choices.



                      In 1992, he received the federal government’s Commemorative Medal for the 125th Anniversary of Confederation, honouring people who made a significant contribution to Canadian society. In 2012, he was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for his contributions to Canada as a philanthropist and businessman.



                      Mr. Bitove and his wife spent winters in Boca Raton, Fla., where she attended the Louis and Anne Green Memory and Wellness Center at Florida Atlantic University. That centre served as the model for the Dotsa Bitove Wellness Academy, said son John Jr.



                      In addition to his wife, Mr. Bitove leaves his daughter, Vonna; sons Nick, Tom, John Jr. and Jordan; and 16 grandchildren.



                      Family was so important to Mr. Bitove that, in 1988, he built a family compound in Collingwood, Ont., where his children and grandchildren could gather for holiday visits.



                      “[The Bitoves] would all go out there and go at each other, and compete and have a great big loving dinner and all hug each other, and that was just his idea of heaven, I’m sure,” Mr. Peterson said. “Big John inculcated that deep love of family into all of his family.”
                      "Ido not want an uprising of people that would leave me at the first failure, I want revolution with citizens able to bear all the temptations to a prolonged struggle, what, because of the fierce political conditions, will be our guide or cattle to the slaughterhouse"
                      GOTSE DELCEV

                      Comment

                      • George S.
                        Senior Member
                        • Aug 2009
                        • 10116

                        JOHN LOUIS NICHOLAS BITOVE

                        Obituary



                        clip_image001JOHN LOUIS NICHOLAS BITOVE, CM "Where there is Love, there is Life." --Gandhi John Bitove, Sr. (JB) passed away peacefully on July 30, 2015, with his loved ones by his side. It was a fitting end to a man who lived 87 years for his family, friends, heritage and country. He leaves behind a legacy of love, caring, passion and success, impacting so many people around the world. Husband and partner, in the truest sense of the word, to his loving wife of 66 years Dotsa. Father, mentor and inspiration to their five children -- Vonna, Nick (Della), Tom (Karen), John (Randi) and Jordan (Nicole) and loving Dedo to their sixteen grandchildren -- John, Sasho, Jenna, Gabriel, Natalie, Nicolas, JJ, Katarina, Jacob, Brett, Emma, Blair, Brodey, Cameron, Chloe and Ivy. Predeceased by his brother James and his beloved sister Milca (Novak). John Bitove Sr. was born on March 19, 1928 to Macedonian immigrant parents in Toronto's East End. At a very young age, he learned from his parents Nickola and Vana Bitove the importance of family and of giving back to his community. Whether it was a neighbourhood project or one of global implications, he never shied away from what he believed was his calling in life -- helping others less fortunate than him and protecting human rights. He lived his life proving that it was better to give than to receive. While holding down three jobs as a young boy, he managed to find time to be a star athlete in multiple sports. Hockey was his passion and at the age of 12 he founded, coached and played on the Toronto Young Leafs hockey team, a group of "Cabbagetown" kids. With big dreams, he approached Maple Leaf Gardens about the possibility of his team using the hallowed building for their home games. They agreed. The Toronto Young Leafs went on to win City and Provincial Championships. A number of his teammates would later play in the NHL and win Stanley Cups. In 1946 he was offered a tryout with the Detroit Red Wings. As times were tough, he chose to stay in Toronto and help with his father's butcher shop, located on Queen Street East. At the age of 18, he would meet the love of his life, Dotsa Lazoff, at a Macedonian convention in Indianapolis, Indiana. Three years later they were married and settled in Toronto. They were inseparable and their marriage would produce five children. Their love was the kind that existed in fairy tales and they pursued their dreams together in business, family and philanthropy. At the age of 21, he opened his first restaurant, the Java Shoppe and the rest was history. This evolved into one of the largest foodservices companies in Canada. Despite loudly proclaiming to his children that he did not want them following him in to the hospitality industry, they all did! He was never more proud. His love for Canada, Toronto and his parents' birthplace of Macedonia was demonstrated every day of his life. In 1979 he was named an Honorary Citizen of Metropolitan Toronto and in 1989 he was invested as a Member of the Order of Canada for his philanthropic work. He was a recipient of the Commemorative Medal for the 125th Anniversary of Canadian Confederation and in 2012 he was presented with the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee award for his contributions to Canada. He was also extremely proud of being honoured by the Toronto Police Service as an Honorary Chief of Police for his service to the TPS and the youth of the city, in part due to his founding of the ProAction Cops & Kids program. His charitable endeavours were legion and started at a very young age. These efforts included working with the Salvation Army to prepare over 50,000 Christmas baskets for the needy; travelling with his wife overseas in 1963 for six weeks to personally help organize relief efforts and gather supplies for those injured in the devastating earthquake in Skopje, Macedonia; chairing fundraising for Toronto General Hospital, Cardiac Care Unit; conceiving, funding and building the Dotsa Bitove Wellness Academy for those with Alzheimer's disease and other memory-related disorders; and creating, funding and initially administering funds for the Toronto Police to positively interact with youth at risk in their communities. In 1978, as Founder and Chairman of the Board, he and his wife took great pride in opening Canadian Macedonian Place, a senior citizen's complex in East York. It was the culmination of a dream to create a home where Canadians of Macedonian decent could live and socialize together. It was a testament to his hard work and vision and he took exceptional pride in how the Macedonian community of Toronto worked in unison. Nearly 40 years later, CMP continues to provide exceptional services to its residents, housing thousands of Torontonians over the years, many of Macedonian decent. John and Dotsa were deeply impacted by the experience of the child-refugees of Macedonia at the conclusion of World War II, who are known as the Detsa Begaltci. Both of them had relatives among the 30,000 Macedonian children who were sent to the countries of the European Eastern Block to escape persecution and death in their native country. Together they organized and paid for the reunion that took place in Skopje, in 1984, to re-unite them with their families. This event became a landmark in the latter-day history of the Macedonian people and led many Macedonians to reunite with their missing brothers, sisters, relatives and friends. He believed strongly in his Eastern Orthodox faith and provided funding for the establishment of its churches around the world. Together with Dotsa, they never stopped their charitable work; this characteristic has been instilled in each of their children. He emphasized to all of his children and grandchildren the importance of education. To this end, he established the Bitove Foundation Scholarship award at Ryerson University School of Hospitality and the John and Dotsa Bitove Law Library at the University of Western Ontario was named in their honour. He also initiated a degree program at the University of Toronto for the study of the Macedonian language and founded a scholarship program for the United Macedonian Diaspora (UMD) for outstanding students of Macedonian heritage. JB also served as a Director of the Royal Ontario Museum and as the Ontario Chairman of the British Commonwealth Games of 1986. He was a Member of the Canadian Society for the Weizmann Institute and was the Founder of the Armour Heights Rotary Club. He served on several Boards, including Oppenheimer & Co. He was extremely proud of his accomplishments regarding the independence of Macedonia, which culminated in the creation of the Republic of Macedonia in September of 1991. Shortly after its independence, Macedonia was in great need of medical supplies. He helped organize a fundraising event at the SkyDome (now Rogers Centre) with 20,000 people in attendance, the proceeds of which enabled the delivery of the required supplies. On the twentieth anniversary of the Republic of Macedonia's Independence, he was awarded the country's highest award by President Gjorge Ivanov. The Order of "September 8" was presented to him for his "exceptional dedication and commitment in support of the progress of the Republic of Macedonia and its affirmation worldwide as an independent and democratic state." Amongst all of his business and charitable endeavours, he always found the time to be an outstanding husband, father, grandfather and friend. He went to great lengths to ensure that his family homes in Toronto, Georgian Bay and Boca Raton, Florida, were always filled with the sounds of his friends, children and grandchildren playing and laughing together. Christmas will never be the same without him. He loved to play golf and wasn't shy about reminding his family and friends, usually during their backswing, that he had made a hole-in-one. It only took him 78 years! He encouraged everyone around him to dream big dreams and that only through hard work and perseverance will one achieve success. He lived by his philosophy in business that one must always be respected. And respect is something earned -- every minute of every day in everything you do. In keeping with his wishes, John L.N. Bitove was interred at Mount Pleasant Cemetery with his family present. A Celebration of Life will take place in the fall. Details will be announced in the near future. In lieu of flowers, the family would be honoured if donations were made to the Dotsa Bitove Wellness Academy: JohnBitoveSrTribute.ca, ProAction Cops & Kids: copsandkids.ca or the Canadian Macedonia Place Foundation: canadianmacedonianplace.com

                        Published in the Toronto Star from Aug. 7 to Aug. 8, 2015
                        "Ido not want an uprising of people that would leave me at the first failure, I want revolution with citizens able to bear all the temptations to a prolonged struggle, what, because of the fierce political conditions, will be our guide or cattle to the slaughterhouse"
                        GOTSE DELCEV

                        Comment

                        • Momce Makedonce
                          Member
                          • Jul 2012
                          • 562

                          CFMT47 DEBATE BITOVE VS FOUSSIAS on the name Macedonia

                          A debate between John Bitove and Thanasios Foussias over the use of the name Macedonia
                          "The moral revolution - the revolution of the mind, heart and soul of an enslaved people, is our greatest task." Goce Delcev

                          Comment

                          • Gocka
                            Senior Member
                            • Dec 2012
                            • 2306

                            Originally posted by Momce Makedonce View Post
                            CFMT47 DEBATE BITOVE VS FOUSSIAS on the name Macedonia

                            https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQtketSePZo
                            Neither of them were particularly good at debating. Having said that I genuinely think Bitove won, although he did have the language advantage.

                            We are so much better equipped today than we were back then. I get the feeling that if this debate happened again right now it would be much easier to debate from the Macedonian perspective. Meanwhile the Greek position is the same, history history history.

                            Comment

                            • Momce Makedonce
                              Member
                              • Jul 2012
                              • 562

                              Originally posted by Gocka View Post
                              Neither of them were particularly good at debating. Having said that I genuinely think Bitove won, although he did have the language advantage.

                              We are so much better equipped today than we were back then. I get the feeling that if this debate happened again right now it would be much easier to debate from the Macedonian perspective. Meanwhile the Greek position is the same, history history history.
                              I agree. A nation and people have the right to self determination... debate won without even touching upon history.

                              Apparently this Foussias is a Grkoman, which made it even more cringe worthy to listen to the stuff coming out of his mouth.
                              "The moral revolution - the revolution of the mind, heart and soul of an enslaved people, is our greatest task." Goce Delcev

                              Comment

                              • Amphipolis
                                Banned
                                • Aug 2014
                                • 1328

                                I only saw small random parts and Foussias is indeed weak in English (he's an immigrant since the 70s). I've never heard of him before, he's a psychiatrist and a leader of Greek-Canadians.

                                Where is he from?

                                The other guy is much better; he looks and sounds as an American politician with the smile and the look at the camera. Also the whole thing seemed dark, dead and boring. It certainly needed an audience and a more lively direction.

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