CHARLOTTE — The fall Belk Charity Sale on Saturday provides an opportunity for customers to support local charities while taking advantage of special discounts of 20 to 75 percent off purchases made during the four-hour event from 6 to 10 a.m.

In return for purchasing a $5 ticket, Belk customers get buys on rarely discounted merchandise and other items throughout the store. Customers receive a $5 credit on Charity Sale purchases. Charities get to keep 100 percent of the proceeds from each $5 ticket sold.

The first 100 customers in each store on the morning of Charity Sale will receive free Belk gift cards ranging in value from $5 to $100, and a chance to win one of three $1,000 Belk gift cards awarded company-wide.

Charity Sale tickets are now being sold by participating nonprofits, and beginning Friday, will be available at Belk stores. The Belk store in Robeson County is located at the Biggs Park Mall. All revenues from in-store ticket purchases are equally divided among participating charities and schools in each local store.

In addition, all Charity Sale participants will be entered into a drawing to win one of three $1,000 cash awards for their school or nonprofit. The spring 2012 Belk Charity Sale raised more than $5 million for nearly 8,000 schools and nonprofits.