Piece of Sully Magic Up for Grabs

Starting bid for one-of-a-kind cap is $1

As if hometown hero Captain Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger doesn't have enough Karma points.

The pilot credited for pulling off the "Miracle on the Hudson" is throwing his hat into a fundraising campaign.  Literally.

Sully's pilot's cap, which he wore for many years at 30,000 feet, is for sale on eBay.  The bidding started at $1, but by Friday evening had topped $5,300.

Proceeds raised from the auction will be donated to two public schools in polar opposite communities -- Lockwood Elementary in one of Oakland’s poorest communities, and Dougherty Valley High in one of San Ramon wealthiest.

And to answer the question you're probably asking, no, he wasn't wearing this hat on the fateful day last January. He wasn't wearing any hat that day. 

The auction ends in one week, on Dec. 14.

Nearly all of its 500 students attending Lockwood Elementary come from families below the national poverty line.  The school itself is located in a neighborhood with one of the highest crime rates in the city.

Dougherty Valley High School, opened in 2007, is bright, shiny and new, and it is located in one of the highest taxed districts in Contra Costa County, where residents pay directly out of their pockets for schools, police services and libraries. 

Lorrie Sullenberger said she and her husband were excited by the opportunity to help these two public schools.

"We were eager to make this donation to the school auction," she said. "We hope that the winner will enjoy owning Sully’s pilot’s hat, but also that they will be happy that they have helped fund two deserving educational institutions."

The hat is signed by Sully, comes in a protective plastic box and comes with a personal note from the Sullenbergers.

Dougherty Valley High School has been the recipient of Sully's goodness before. Here's a clip of a personal appearance on campus.

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