If there is ever a time when you think there are too many charities, too many organizations seeking your donations and you feel jaded by it all, you might benefit from a word with Tim Canali. Tim is not a professional charity organizer, although he may be one day. Tim is, in fact, an 11-year-old fifth grader from Westbrook School. Tim has helped raise, since the age of six, almost $20,000 for Smile Train, a charity which funds and trains doctors to perform cleft surgery on children throughout the world. In the five years since Tim went home to his mother one day after school and asked if he could somehow raise the $250 cost of each surgery performed, he has provided enough cash to pay for 78 operations. It all started simply enough for Tim, but the fundraising process has moved on to a more professional level, “I began by asking my family and my father’s friends for donations. Now, though, I have a mailing list and I have businesses I speak to and ask to donate.” The spark which fired Tim’s astonishing fundraising abilities was lit during a lesson taught by kindergarten teacher Ann Darling who, while explaining the difficulties for children with cleft palates, was unknowingly activating a force of nature. This force was Tim and he is still firing at full power. “What keeps me going,” said Tim “Is thinking of helping the next child with a cleft palate. They are unable to smile; they have problems eating and sometimes have social problems because they are outcast by other children.” Although he comes across as somewhat modest, Tim is a man with a mission. Recently he led a presentation to the West Milford Rotary Club, is working with Westbrook school teachers to organize broader participation from other schools in town, and is spreading his growing influence to other children across the world. “I’ve had schools and children e-mail me from other places. I’ve had a school in Fairfield contact me, one in New York, and one in Japan,” he says. How the Japanese connection came about puzzles Tim a little, but anyone interested in knowing more about helping children born with cleft deformities will get a response. A target which Tim hopes to achieve next year is a magical one for him: “I hope that I can raise enough money next year to reach a total of 100 surgeries paid for.” Tim’s mom, Regina, who is a teacher at Westbrook, brims with pride as her son discusses his passion to help other children. Regina says, “I’m obviously partial, as he’s my son, but I think it’s extraordinary. He’s always been sensitive to other people’s needs.” Regina is equally impressed by Tim’s public speaking skills. “He’ll talk to anyone. He gives talks to all these corporate people and groups of adults and is not intimidated by it. I know I would be,” she says. Ann Darling, the teacher who first introduced the subject to Tim, shies away from any credit in starting Tim off in his concern for children with cleft palate defects. “I think Tim is an inspiration to himself. I’ve never had a student take something and run with it the way he has. Tim has a heart of gold,” Darling says. Tim has developed something of a name for himself within the walls of the New York City offices of Smile Train. He has been selected as one of the organization’s “Donators of the Month” and will visit the head offices of the charity in the summer. According to Tim’s mother, there is much anticipation and excited curiosity from the charity’s organizers keen to meet one of their preeminent ambassadors. In keeping with Tim’s sincerity and gregarious character, his final words are as thoughtful as his actions over the past five years: “I would really like it if people went to the Smile Train website (www.smiletrain.com) and say to people that if they can’t donate if they could instead put these children in their prayers.”