Heyyy I've done RFL for 2 years, and I'm doing it again this yr!! My RFL is in June this year and I'm doing it with my aunt and her friends. hehe.
I havent read what other people have posted, so sorry if I repeat what'd already been said.
Basically you put together a team (ours is of 10) and you have to have at least one member of your team walking the track for 12 hours.
The teams work together to collect pledges to donate to the Cancer Society.
The first lap is the Survivors Lap, my grampa did it for the 2 yrs I did it with my high school and I got to walk around with him holding his hands with the other survivors and their families. It was REALLY touching and the only time I'd ever seen my grampa cry.
Then when night falls (depending on what 12 hrs you to it for that could be 1/2 way thru, immediately, whatever) the light the luminaries and line the track with them.
Luminaries are these little white bags that you can write on, and dedicate them to anyone really. It was soooo emotional at my HS when they lit all the luminaries! It's really heartbreaking/heartwarming to read what all the luminaries say.
Anyways, they also have activities set up, usually have music playing, food. Etc. It's a really great experience. If you have the chance to do it I highly recommend it. Being part of the survivors lap would probably be something really special for you too Sonya.
Sidenote; I wonder if it's different in the US because I just read what EyoreFans wrote and the times I've done RFL the pledges don't really work like that. You just get sponsors to donate, it doesn't really have anything to do with how many laps you walk. So it might be different in Canada, I'm not sure.