Money launderers

Behind the scenes at the State Fair of Texas coupon-to-cash exchange

Fairgoers use State Fair coupons to access midway rides, shows, food and beverages. Each day, vendors receive a check based on the weight of collected coupons. But with thousands upon thousands of coupons pouring in each day, how do operators prevent superfluous materials from adding weight to the day’s take? That’s where Lake Highlands residents Helen and Fred Wiatrowski and their team of coupon cleaners come in.

Explain to us just what you do.

HW: Since 2007, we have worked in the coupon-weighing department. Every vendor that takes coupons at the fair, they get a little galvanized bucket with their vendor number on it to put their coupons in, and at night they bring them to the room where we work — there are 12 of us, I think — and they empty those buckets into plastic containers, and we go through all of these. We go at 5 a.m. and stay about eight hours, 10 on busy days. Our job is to make sure that nothing is in there except the coupons. I have a special job that no one else wants to do.

What is it?