CLEWISTON — The Clewiston Sugar Festival Committee is proud to announce that Dr. A. Karim Kaki and his late wife, Miriam Kaki, have been selected as the 2026 Clewiston Sugar Festival Honorees in recognition of their many years of service to the Glades farming communities and in service to the agricultural and sugar manufacturing families of Hendry County. The Kakis will be honored during the opening ceremonies of the 2026 Clewiston Sugar Festival, which will take place on Saturday, March 14, 2026.

Dr. Kaki began his medical career after earning his degree from the University of Wurzburg Medical College in 1974 and later moved to Hendry County with Miriam, where they built a medical practice that served residents throughout Clewiston, Belle Glade, and the surrounding farming region. Together, they cared for thousands of local families, while also supporting charitable organizations and community causes. Miriam played a key role in managing the practice and helping expand services to reach more people in need.

“Few have been as instrumental in caring for the health of our people as Dr. A. Karim Kaki and Miriam,” said former Hendry County Commissioner Karson Turner. “Together, Dr. Kaki and his wife represent the very best of what our community is all about: servant leadership, caring for one another, and giving back to those in need.”

“We are so grateful for the contributions made to our community by Dr. Kaki and his wife Miriam, who sadly passed last year,” said Clewiston Sugar Festival Chairwoman Julia duPlooy. “Our farming community has been enriched by their decades of service and commitment to caring for individuals on a daily basis.”

Turner added, “Oftentimes, they would be required to treat individuals in their place of work, whether it was on a farm or in a factory, and they have served many of the farmers and their family members who help make many of our local businesses succeed in their mission of feeding our nation.”