IN THE PIPELINE:

Bernarr Macfadden founded the Coney Island Polar Bear Club back in 1903. Macfadden was referred to as the “Father of Physical Culture” due to the fact that he was an early advocate of physical fitness, natural foods and physical exercise.

Macfadden espoused that, “Our bodies are our most glorious possessions, that health-wealth is our greatest asset ... that weakness is truly a crime ... that every man can be a vigorous vital specimen of masculinity: that every woman can be a splendidly strong, well poised specimen of femininity.” The Polar Bears, as you may know, are famous for their plunge into the icy New Year’s Day waters off New York’s Coney Island.

For several years Huntington Beach has put its own spin on this concept, thanks to a woman named Lee Love. The organizer behind the Pier Plaza Plunge event (and ceremoniously, the first one to plunge into the water), Love puts on the event for a wonderful cause, the Canine Companions for Independence. They’re a national nonprofit organization that enhances the lives of children and adults with disabilities by providing highly trained assistance dogs and ongoing support to ensure quality partnerships. (You can visit them at caninecompanions.org).

I wanted to attend the event this year because, not unlike the “Running of the Cattle” this past summer on the beach, it seems like one of those spirited community events that’s not just good for the cause, but for the fabric of a city. After all, something like this brings together a wide range of people (including locals and tourists) for something that helps a decent organization, but also has a sense of nuttiness to it, which hearkens back to some of the crazy beach culture Huntington Beach used to be known for.

True, the weather here is balmy compared to the East Coast and the water temperature hovered near 60, but that’s still chilly if you’re not wearing a wetsuit. And it didn’t stop hundreds from lining the pier to watch the hundreds of participants down on the cool wet sand.

Not sure that health-freak Macfadden would have appreciated the pancake breakfast thrown before Huntington Beach’s take on the New Year’s plunge, but, hey, maybe our city is just helping to evolve the concept a bit. Mayor Debbie Cook was on hand along with several other local officials, and before the noon command to enter the water, some other introductions were made. One of them caught my ear: the announcement of this year’s oldest participant in the plunge: 85-year-old Billie Kennedy. I was taken aback because recently, I interviewed the youthful Kennedy for a book I’m working on, “Huntington Beach Then & Now.” Among other images, she had a striking photo of herself posing on the beach along the bluffs about 70 years ago. Now, here she was, back on the beach, but for this?

We both started laughing when we caught each other’s eye and Billie just shrugged her shoulders and said, “Hey, I just felt like doing it this year; why not?” It was that simple. No great debate, no challenge from anyone — she just felt like doing it. And when Chris Macdonald gave the final countdown at noon and the throngs plowed across the sands into the cool crashing waves, Billie was right there with them. Seeing the fun everyone had, my kids and I felt remiss that we were not suited up for the occasion, but I can all but guarantee you we will be in there next year.

Back on shore, Billie seemed exhilarated and says she hopes to do it all over again next year. Talk about resolve; talk about a great standard to set on a day when many people decide what they’ll do in the coming year to make their lives better. My resolution now is to incorporate a little of the Billie Kennedy philosophy into each day: to be a little more impulsive sometimes, just because.

Congratulations to Lee Love on another successful plunge herself, for helping create an event that restores some offbeat culture back into Huntington Beach — and mostly for helping sustain those soulful dogs that make life better for so many people.

Happy New Year.

CHRIS EPTING is the author of nine books including his latest, “Led Zeppelin Crashed Here, The Rock and Roll Landmarks of North America.” He also hosts “The Pop Culture Road Trip” radio show on webtalkradio.net. You can write him at chris@chrisepting.com.