Yule Fun for Burn Victims : Healing: Feelings of withdrawal and despair take a back seat to holiday cheerfulness and enthusiasm.

GARDEN GROVE —  When the Orange County Burn Assn.’s Christmas party was first held10 years ago in the UCI Medical Center cafeteria, the big attractions, of course, were Santa Claus and his bag of loot.

The annual bash has long since outgrown the cafeteria, but some things don’t change: Santa and his presents were still the center of interest Thursday when the party was held at the Garden Grove Community Meeting Center.

As Christmas music played in the background, the center’s 32 round tables quickly filled up with burn victims and their families. The children’s eyes wandered to the platform where colorfully wrapped presents waited to be parceled out--which eventually were, by the fat man in the red suit.

But there were also fire trucks outside to explore, Disney characters to play with and major-league baseball players to hound for autographs.

“The party’s supposed to give the patients a cheery time,” said Caryl Modrinski, executive director of the Orange County Burn Assn., a support group for patients at UCI Medical Center’s burn ward.

The crowded room--about 300 people showed up--with children running every which way was evidence that the party was a success.

Fountain Valley Fire Chief Richard E. Jorgensen was glad the party-goers were having fun.

“The party was meant to help the burn victims get in a social atmosphere,” he said. “Burn injuries are so traumatic that if they can relate with other patients it will help restore their mental health. Most of the time they withdraw and separate from their friends because of what they see in the mirror.”

Twelve-year-old Vinnie Tanis is one of the “burn survivors who has transcended beyond his scars” and is living a healthy and happy life, Jorgensen said.

Vinnie, a victim of a 1979 fire that left him with second- and third-degree burns over 85% of his body, has spent most of his life at the burn center. He said his body does not give him any trouble and that he likes playing soccer because “you stay active the whole time.”

Jim Eppard of the California Angels and Mike Schwabe of the Detroit Tigers said they noticed Vinnie Tanis’ healthy attitude when the sixth-grader asked them for their autographs.

“When you see Vinnie, it’s awful sad to know something like that happened,” Eppard said, “but it makes you feel good that he comes up with a smile on his face.”

Vinnie’s father died in the 1979 fire that started when stored gasoline exploded in their home. His mother died of cancer two years later. His adopted mother, Rosemary Tanis, said that Vinnie came to the burn unit’s first party when he was just 13 months old and hasn’t missed one since.

“These people have done so much for Vinnie,” Rosemary Tanis said. “They’re really dedicated people. It’s like a family between the staff and the patients.”

Craig Clarke, whose left hand was electrically burned in March while he was working, attended the annual Christmas party for the first time. He and his wife brought their four young sons, whose ages ranged from 9 to 18 months and who were all dressed in red shirts.

“I had no idea the party was going to be this big,” Clarke said. “It’s really well done. So many volunteers. So much hard work.”